NCC interprovincial transit plan MIA?

[Uhuniau]

From the National Constipation Commission's website:

The National Capital Commission (NCC) and its partners, the City of Ottawa and the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) with participation by the Ville de Gatineau are looking for public input into ways of better integrating transit between the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau.

The Strategy has an expected completion date of January 2010 and will deliver short, medium and long term solutions up to the year 2031. It has a budget of $750,000 and it will be shared equally by all three partners.

It's now April 2010.

[eternallyme]

The NCC is a pointless organization anyway. It should be abolished and replaced by a metropolitan council influenced by the municipal governments (primarily Ottawa and Gatineau) but established (as legally required) by the federal government, as opposed to by federal bureaucrats as the NCC is now.

Federal museums and federal public lands should be run directly by Parks Canada and not a pointless Crown corporation.

[Dado]

... because municipal officials have repeatedly shown themselves to be up to the task of planning a capital city...


What's needed is a planning commission with membership from all 3 levels on both sides of the river.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Dado

... because municipal officials have repeatedly shown themselves to be up to the task of planning a capital city...


What's needed is a planning commission with membership from all 3 levels on both sides of the river.

How is planning a capital city substantially different from planning a non-capital one?

And how much better is the federal NCC at planning than either of the main NCR municipalities? I highly doubt any of the former Ontario municipalities would have ever done anything as obnoxious and anti-urban as shuttering the downtown train station or establishing the godforsaken "Green belt".

[Uhuniau]

Oh, and look:

http://www.interprovincial-transit-strategy.ca/

The anticipated completion date for the Strategy will be in the first half of 2010.

They went and gave themselves an extension, and forgot to tell the rest of us.

[waterloowarrior]

UPCOMING PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ON THE
INTERPROVINCIAL TRANSIT STRATEGY

The Interprovincial Transit Strategy is entering the fourth phase of consultation. During this
phase, stakeholders and members of the public will have several opportunities to provide their
viewpoints and input into the potential solutions for improving interprovincial transit in the
National Capital Region.

On Tuesday, July 6 and Wednesday, July 7, public consultations will be held in Ottawa and
Gatineau, respectively. The Study Team will be soliciting input on a number of options identified
under five transportation ²Pillars.² These are the guiding principles of the Strategy that emerged
throughout the consultation program as priority issues to improve interprovincial transit. The five
Pillars are: User Focus, Operations, Infrastructure, Transit City Building and Governance.

The communities of Ottawa and Gatineau — from transit users, commuters, local businesses,
homeowners, employers, community groups and other organizations — are invited to review
information boards, consult with the Strategy Team and provide comment on the proposed
interprovincial transit solutions that will satisfy the short, medium and long term perspectives up
to the year 2031.

The following are the public consultation event dates, times and locations:
Ottawa
Tuesday, July 6
Time: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Ottawa City Hall – Jean Pigott Hall
110 Laurier Avenue West

Gatineau
Wednesday, July 7
5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Gatineau Maison du Citoyen – Agora
Gilles-Rocheleau
25 Laurier Street

An online consultation exercise will be available through the project website following the
public consultation events. It will cover similar topics to those presented at the events, allowing
members of the public to contribute to the Strategy at their convenience.

Further details on this
activity will be posted on the Strategy’s website at www.interprovincial-transit-strategy.ca.

[waterloowarrior]

Residents asked for input on Ottawa-Gatineau transit strategy


BY NECO COCKBURN , THE OTTAWA CITIZEN JUNE 22, 2010 6:34 PM


OTTAWA — Residents can offer their thoughts on a transit strategy aimed at better moving people between Ottawa and Gatineau, although it’s not known when a new transit tunnel or bridge between the two cities could be created.

The National Capital Commission, the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau and their transit services are seeking public input on the interprovincial transit strategy that’s to serve the capital region up to 2031.

Consultants suggest a light-rail link would be the most beneficial connection between Gatineau and Ottawa, and eventually hooking into Ottawa’s planned downtown underground light-rail line is one possibility under consideration. Surface rail through the downtown core is another option.

Other options include a west-side crossing over the Prince of Wales Bridge or Chaudière Bridge, or an east-side connection along the Alexandra Bridge (likely removing vehicle traffic) or a tunnel under the Ottawa River. A loop through downtown Gatineau and Ottawa that uses both east- and west-side crossings is another possibility.

Bay Councillor Alex Cullen, chairman of Ottawa city council’s transit committee, said Tuesday that a link won’t happen in the near future, but issues such as costs and roles and responsibilities of the two cities need to be sorted out.

“They are thinking long-term, but there are some significant issues here,” he said.

It’s hoped the strategy will be completed by the end of the year. Although a new transit bridge or tunnel likely wouldn’t be built for at least 10 years, short-term steps such as a common fare system could happen sooner.

The Ottawa consultation is to be held July 6 at city hall between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Gatineau residents can have their say July 7 at Maison du Citoyen, 25 Laurier St., between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Residen...800/story.html

[tom-Ottawa]

One good immediate "transit" strategy would be to pave the Prince of Wales rail
bridge over the Ottawa River for use by cyclists!

tOM

[Aylmer]

Welcome, tOM! Well, though that would be a good idea, I don't see why people would want to cross there and I think that it would be a good idea to keep the rail option open.

[Yroc]

Why the hate for the green belt? Are you suggesting we expand the suburbs into the green belt?

[Aylmer]

What?

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

What?

I agree!

At the same time, Yroc, hells yeah - pave the Greenbelt.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Yroc

Why the hate for the green belt? Are you suggesting we expand the suburbs into the green belt?

Better than expanding them further away from the city core and more often than not, the place of employment for most suburbanites. We're not necessarily arguing for the paving of forests or protected areas, but the farms and grass fields of the greenbelt should go to high-density development.

[Lakche]

If development were allowed on the greenbelt, such as the NCC farm lands between Montreal road and Jeanne D'Arc blvd, they wouldn't be building high-density residential...

Single family homes would take over and just cover the greenbelt.

[blackjagger]

Originally Posted by Lakche

If development were allowed on the greenbelt, such as the NCC farm lands between Montreal road and Jeanne D'Arc blvd, they wouldn't be building high-density residential...

Single family homes would take over and just cover the greenbelt.

Not entirely true. Already we are starting to see an increase in both townhouse, stacked towns, and condo flats in the suburbs. If these areas were allowed to develop it would have density and zoning requirements to make sure it wasn't just single family homes. Look at the plans for Barrhaven Towncentre and even Richcraft’s longfields station development. Both are examples of how these requirements change the build form from single family units to multi-unit medium density housing with at least a sense of urban feel.

Cheers,
Josh

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Lakche

If development were allowed on the greenbelt, such as the NCC farm lands between Montreal road and Jeanne D'Arc blvd, they wouldn't be building high-density residential...

Single family homes would take over and just cover the greenbelt.

Not if that's not what's "allowed".

[lrt's friend]

You cannot make people live in dense developments. The market will determine whether single family homes or high rise condos are built.

[blackjagger]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

You cannot make people live in dense developments. The market will determine whether single family homes or high rise condos are built.

??? No zoning will determine whether high rises or single family homes are built in one location or another. Free market determines if they will be successful. There is also a big difference between "make" and persuade. Lower priced units (relative to the area), with shorter commutes, and existing amenities will persuade people to purchase or live in dense developments.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

You cannot make people live in dense developments. The market will determine whether single family homes or high rise condos are built.

Curiously, there's a huge market demand for old-style urban neighbourhoods, if home prices in the Glebe, Sandy Hill, New Edinburgh, the Golden Triangle, and Westboro are anything to go on... yet the developers aren't building them any more.

[Dado]

If and when the Greenbelt is developed, how it is developed will depend a lot on how the NCC goes about it. If they just sell it off one would expect the usual crap. If, on the other hand, they hand it over to Canada Lands or sponsor a design competition or the like, it could be quite interesting.

At any rate, this is a little off-topic...