Feeling a loss of control?

Lately I’ve been feeling like some parts of our collective life are spinning out of control – or maybe they never were within our control, and lately it’s become obvious.

For example, whatever is happening with the Queensway? There must be a way to find out – an obscure, impenetrable, confused and unhelpful way, but nevertheless it must exist.

When will the Bronson east offramp open? When will the Bronson west on-ramp open? When will the Percy Street underpass be open to cars? Will the Percy Street underpass suddenly be closed as well to walkers and bikers, as happened a couple of weeks ago? Will the Percy Street underpass be clear of debris, or will I and my bike need to screech to a halt and weave around piles of dirt, construction gear, wires and other hazards in the dark, as was also the case a couple of weeks ago? It’s all in the hands of a Ministry of Transport (MOT) headquartered in Toronto, 350 kilometres away – and it seems a universe away in “caring.”

Then there’s the Queen Elizabeth Driveway. It seems there are no lights and haven’t been lights for some time now, while the NCC and the City “discuss” who is responsible. There is talk of temporary lighting but no actual movement in that direction. This discussion happening with little or no reference to the people who live there.

And will the Queen Elizabeth Driveway be closed to traffic permanently? It’s an idea that’s been floated, but www.glebereport.ca

Established in 1973, the Glebe Report, published by the Glebe Report Association is a monthly not-forprofit community newspaper with a circulation of 7,500 copies. It is delivered free to Glebe homes and businesses. Advertising from merchants in the Glebe and elsewhere pays all its costs, and the paper receives no government grants or direct subsidies. The Glebe Report, made available at select locations such as the Glebe Community Centre and the Old Ottawa South Community Centre and Brewer Pool, is printed by Winchester Print.

EDITOR............................ Liz McKeen editor@glebereport.ca

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AREA CAPTAINS................. Martha Bowers, Bob Brocklebank, Judy Field, Jono Hamer-Wilson, Deb Hogan, Elena Kastritsa, Brenda Perras, Della Wilkinson again, decision-making seems to be entirely with the NCC, a federal body with a checkered history of listening to the people who live in this city.

The Glebe Report strives to be inclusive and to represent the full diversity of the community we serve.

Then we hear of a possible 90-week (that’s almost two years) detour being planned for the Queen Elizabeth Driveway and Colonel By Drive around the Queensway bridge replacements over the Canal (see elsewhere in this issue). That’s back to a decision of the MOT! Once again, not in our control.

I don’t know about you, but if I can’t have control, I’d love at least a bit of information. Or better yet, a free flow of fulsome information!

–Liz McKeen

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Zeus

Editor, Glebe Report

According to the NCC Canal Lighting Rehabilitation Project, close to three years. The NCC has announced that outdated lights are being replaced along both sides of the canal, and the work will be done by sometime in 2025.

I first contacted the NCC in November of 2022 about the lights on Queen Elizabeth Driveway not working. Their response: “In partnership with the City of Ottawa, which is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the street lighting systems on Queen Elizabeth Driveway and Colonel By Drive, we’re working to repair or replace all outdated and broken pathway and parkway lights along the Rideau Canal.”

In February 2023, I counted 70 lights burned out between Laurier and the Bank Street Bridge. I emailed Councillor Menard’s office and their response: “The NCC will have the more informative response, as it is their project. We

Mary Tsai Park?

The City of Ottawa is conducting public consultations on a proposal to name a preschool park at the Glebe Community Centre after Mary Tsai, long-time executive director of the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group, in recognition of her extensive community service. She received the 2012 Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award and her commitment to community service has garnered the support of this commemorative naming from the Glebe Community Association, the Glebe BIA, MP Yasir Naqvi and more.

Lansdowne consultations a sham

Editor, Glebe Report

Our

Carriers will await their reply with you, as the information is most helpful.” These non-answers are not solving the problem. Queen Elizabeth Driveway is dangerously dark for bikers, pedestrians and cars. Surely, in the name of safety, the timeline to repair can be advanced before December 2025.

J Spiteri

It has become obvious to all of us that the so-called “robust consultations” on Lansdowne 2.0 have been a complete sham. We have elected a new mayor, but this city’s governance is clearly same-old, sameold. Increasingly, those who follow politics are realizing that we never hear about developments until it is too late to change them, or, alternatively, that we are being fed outright lies. At all levels of government, we are seeing an alarming deterioration of democratic process. We elect representatives, believing that this will give us influence, only to find out that we are powerless.

Dorothy Speak

Jide Afolabi, Jennie Aliman, Lawrence Ambler, Nico Arabackyj, Ella Åsell, Aubry family, Miko Bartosik, Alessandra & Stefania Bartucci, Selena Beattie, Adrian Becklumb, Beckman family, Joanne Benoit, Inez Berg, Naéma and Raphaëlle Bergevin Hemsing, Carolyn Best, Carrie Bolton, Daisy & Nettie Bonsall, Martha Bowers, Bowie family, Adélaïde and Éléonore Bridgett, Bob Brocklebank, Ben

Campbell-Rosser, Nico Cauchi, Bill Congdon, Ava & Olivia Carpenter, Ryan & Charlotte

Cartwright, Chiu-Panczyk Family, Sarah Chown, Sebastian, Cameron & Anna Cino, Janis Ellis-Claypool, Jenny Cooper, June Creelman, Marni Crossley, Olivia Dance, Mark Dance, Dawson family, Richard DesRochers, Davies Family, Nathan and Roslyn Demarsh, Marilyn Deschamps, Diekmeyer-Bastianon family, Dingle family, Delia Elkin, Nicholas, Reuben, Dave & Sandra Elgersma, Patrick Farley, James & Oliver Frank, Judy Field, Federico Family, Maria Fobes, Liane Gallop, Joann Garbig, Madeleine Gomery, Joyce

Goodhand, Camilo Velez Gorman, Barbara Greenwood, Ginny Grimshaw, Marjolein

Groenevelt, Oliver, Martin, Sarah & Simon

To submit written comments on the proposal, complete the survey at ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/city-manager-administration-and-policies/ policies-and-administrative-structure/administrative-policies/commemorative-naming (or google City of Ottawa commemorative naming).

Comments must be received by Saturday, June 24, 2023.

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