Christine Leadman
Councillor, Kitchissipi Ward
City of Ottawa
111 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
By e-mail:
Christine.Leadman@ottawa.caRe: Golden Avenue closure
Dear Ms Leadman:
Thank you for organizing the public information session on December 5, 2007 regarding the proposal to close a portion of Golden Avenue between Byron and Richmond Road. Several members of the Westboro Community Association Board of Directors were in attendance. Based on our observations, feedback we have been receiving directly from residents, and further discussion as a board, we wish to raise the following points:
1. The large turnout and number of speakers are a clear indication of the high degree of interest in and concern about this issue among residents of Westboro. Based on the opinions that were expressed as well as the show-of-hands exercise conducted towards the end of the meeting, it appears to us that a majority of those in attendance were opposed to the proposed closure based on the information that has been provided to date.
2. The Westboro Community Association (WCA) has a number of specific concerns regarding the proposal itself as well as the process employed to date, including:
a. the potential negative impact of diverted traffic onto adjacent residential streets and intersections (ex. Roosevelt, Broadview and their respective intersections at Byron);
b. disruption to Westboro’s existing traditional grid street pattern;
c. increased traffic volume and congestion on Richmond Road due to the relocation of the entrance to the Westboro Station development from Byron Avenue. This could also worsen existing problems at the Berkley/Richmond intersection that have already been raised by residents at the WCA community forum you attended a few weeks ago;
d. the preliminary findings of the Westboro/Highland Park/McKellar Park Traffic Management Plan do not support or recommend closure of Golden (or any other major traffic management measures) as volumes do not warrant it;
e. closure of Golden is not part of the Richmond Road Community Design Plan;
f. lack of detailed information: the two conceptual drawings presented at the meeting did not provide sufficient detail on the full scope of the proposal and city staff were not present to answer questions from residents.
3. We are concerned that this proposal appears to have been initiated by a relatively small number of residents of Golden Avenue and that the timeline for its consideration by the broader community is being driven primarily by the approaching start of construction on the Westboro Station development. It also concerns us that it is being treated in isolation rather than in conjunction with the broader traffic planning challenges that we are presently facing within Westboro. If this proposal is to be considered further, we request that it be examined within the context of the ongoing Traffic Management Plan process. That process already includes provisions for future public open houses to solicit community feedback.
Members of our Board are available to speak with you or representatives of the City about this matter further. We understand that you are planning another community meeting in the New Year regarding Golden Avenue. We look forward to hearing from you with respect to details of that session.
Sincerely,
Wallace Beaton, Chair, Westboro Community Association
Cherolyn Knapp, Vice-Chair, Westboro Community Association
cc. WCA Board Members
Nancy Schepers, Planning, Transit & Environment Department, City of Ottawa,
Douglas James, Planning Branch, City of Ottawa
Suzanne Woo, Traffic & Parking Operations Branch, City of Ottawa
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[end of letter]As always, we at the WCA welcome your feedback. Please use the "comments" function (below) and share your thoughts, questions, and comments.
Were you at the December 5 meeting? What are your thoughts about the proposed street closure? What, if any, are your concerns?