The Dalhousie Community Association is fighting to preserve a coveted piece of greenspace on the north side of Albert Street that is annually threatened by illegally parked LeBreton Flats festival-goers.
Eric Darwin, association president, recently requested the city put up “no parking signs” as a method to try and preserve what little green there is in an area that he says has the lowest level of parkland of any neighbourhood in the city.
He says the three-block-long grassy area between Booth Street and City Centre Avenue is often damaged by people who show up to events at the last minute and want a close parking space.
Darwin points out cars that park there – illegally – rut the grass and erode the earth because it was never designed to be parked on.
“It’s not like a flat lawn that is packed down,” he says. “It’s just loose fill.”
The more people park on the grass, he adds, the more it will deteriorate. “We don’t want it to go downhill and lose it.”
While Darwin admits the area isn’t the most appealing or most developed piece of greenspace, he says it’s still important to preserve it.
“It’s the best we’ve got in a hostile and ugly environment along Albert Street.”
Phil Edens, City of Ottawa traffic assessment specialist, says the request is currently under review.
He says the request is complicated because the land is owned by both the city and the National Capital Commission.
“We are working to process the application as fast as possible,” says Eden.
Working with the city and the NCC, Darwin says there was an improvement in illegal parking at last summer’s Bluesfest. He says there was a bylaw officer stationed at the area to warn people not to park there.
But he adds things still need to be improved.
Parking at events such as Bluesfest is controlled by the city. Mike Rouleau, director of operations for Bluesfest, says the festival puts in a request for parking and the city and the NCC allocate the space.
He says “no parking” signs are a good idea for that area.
“It would help us,” he says. “Because it would reduce the number of illegally parked cars so bylaw officers could focus more on other areas of the festival.”
He also says the signs would be good for public safety. “People won’t have to dodge cars at night this way,” he says, referring to the unlighted greenspace.
Jean Wolff, media relations manager for the NCC – which also received the request – says the NCC works hard with partners in event planning to identify areas of concern for major festivals, such as parking, transit and pedestrian traffic.
He says it will work with the city to address this issue, especially because protecting greenspace is one of its important initiatives.
“The NCC is referred to as the ‘garden of the capital’,” he says. “So . . . (it) is careful and attentive of greenspace in the capital region.”
While Darwin has yet to hear a reply from the city, he says he is confident they can work something out to deter motorists from parking on the grass.
“We don’t want to entice people into our neighbourhood and then stick them with a ticket,” he says. “I just want to make it clear to people that you can’t park there.”