Public Involvement Centre #2 - Summary Report
Preliminary Design Study and Environmental Assessment
G.W.P. 663-93-00, Highway 417 (Ottawa Queensway)
From Highway 416 Easterly to Anderson Road
Prepared by:
Danielle Chartrand, Assistant Environmental Planner
Reviewed by:
Valerie McGirr, P.Eng. Environmental Planner
Brian Ruck, P.Eng. Project Manager
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Public And Agency Notification
3.0 Presentation Material
4.0 Public Comments
5.0 Analysis Of Comments
6.0 Conclusion
Tables
Table 1 Summary Of Agency Contacts
Table 2 Summary Of Public Comments
Appendices
| Appendix A | Public Involvement Centre No. 2 Notice |
| Appendix B | Sample Notification Letters to External Agencies and Affected Property Owners |
| Appendix C |
Public Involvement Centre No. 2 Exhibits
(see: Get Involved: Public Involvement Centre #2 |
| Appendix D | Summary of Comments Received and Responses |
1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this report is to present an overview of the second round of Public Involvement Centres (PICs) and to document public response in accordance with the approved planning process for Group 'B' projects under the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000).
The second round of PICs were held on:
| Monday June 21, 2004 |
Civic Centre, Salon A
1015 Bank Street Ottawa |
| Tuesday June 22, 2004 |
Nepean Sportsplex, Hall A
701 Woodroffe Avenue Nepean |
| Wednesday June 23, 2004 |
Pineview Golf Club
1471 Blair Road Gloucester |
The PIC sessions were held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A Municipal and Agency Review Session was held from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. prior to the first session on Monday June 21. Its purpose was to allow external agencies to view the presentation material and to discuss the project with Ministry and consultant representatives. The main PIC sessions provided an opportunity for all members of the public to view the display material and to discuss the project with Ministry and consultant representatives. Attendees were encouraged to provide written comments.
Ministry of Transportation and consultant representatives were available to respond to any inquiries. Ministry representatives included:
- Senior Project Engineer - Dave Lindensmith
- Area Engineer, Planning and Design - Phil Pawliuk
- Environmental Planner, Environmental Unit - Dave McAvoy
- Senior Environmental Planner, Acoustics - Chris Blaney
- Property Section - Nancy Sinclair
- Property Section - John Dwyre
- Property Section - John Adams
Consultant representatives included:
- Project Manager, Study Consultant - Brian Ruck
- Assistant Project Manager - Brenda Jamieson
- Environmental Planner - Valerie McGirr
- Assistant Environmental Planner/Bilingual representative - Danielle Chartrand
- Bilingual representative - Carol Turcotte
- Traffic Engineer - Doug Robertson
- Project Engineer - Rosemary Dudtschak
- Noise Specialist - Steve Taylor
- Air Quality Specialist - David Chadder
The purpose of the second PIC was to provide the public with an opportunity to review and comment on the following:
- Information from the first round of PICs concerning project need, issues, existing conditions and process;
- Updated traffic analysis;
- Alternative designs, their assessment and evaluation; and
- Selection of a Technically Preferred Alternative.
2.0 Public and Agency Notification
One of the key objectives of the environmental planning process is to provide the public, interested parties and affected agencies with ample and frequent opportunities for meaningful input. In order to ensure this objective is met, a comprehensive public and agency notification program was undertaken and included the following:
-
Newspaper Notices
Notices for the PIC sessions were placed in the following local newspapers between June 12, 2004 and June 18, 2004:
- Ottawa Citizen (English Version)
- Ottawa Sun (English Version)
- Ottawa Le Droit (French Version)
- Nepean This Week (English Version)
- Kanata Kourier (English Version)
- The Star (Gloucester) - (English Version)
- Weekly Journal - East Edition (English Version)
- Weekend Outaouais (French Version)
The English and French versions of the PIC No. 2 notices are provided in Appendix A.
-
Affected Property Owners
Letters were hand delivered to residents that are directly affected by the Technically Preferred Alternative on June 1, 2004, including one resident on Concord Street and those along the south side of Westmount Avenue. They were encouraged to attend the PIC, view the presentation material and discuss their concerns with the Project Team. Letters are provided in Appendix B.
-
Agency and Special Interest Group Contacts
Letters of notification were mailed to the external agencies listed in Table 1. In addition, a copy of the newspaper notice was e-mailed or mailed to the special interest groups and all individuals on the project mailing list. Sample notification letters are provided in Appendix B.
Table 1: Summary of Contacts
| Municipal Contacts |
|---|
| OC Transpo, City of Ottawa Transit Services |
| Ottawa-Carleton District School Board |
| Ottawa-Carleton Catholic Separate School Board |
| French Public School Board |
| Conseil des écoles publiques de langue française du Centre Est |
| Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario |
| Greater Ottawa Chamber of Commerce |
| Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority |
| Ottawa Economic Development Corporation |
| Provincial Contacts |
| Ministry of Natural Resources, Southcentral Region |
| Ministry of Natural Resources, Kemptville Provincial District Office Government Office |
| Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Eastern Region |
| Ministry of Tourism, Eastern Region |
| Ministry of Environment, Ottawa District Office |
| Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Ottawa Office |
| Rideau Valley Conservation Authority |
| Federal Contacts |
| National Capital Commission |
| Environment Canada, Ontario Region Great Lakes and Corporate Affairs |
| Navigable Waters Protection Program Canadian Coast Guard Central and Arctic Region |
| Health Canada |
| National Energy Board |
| Public Works and Government Services, Environmental Services |
| Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Prescott District Office |
| Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency - Ontario Region |
| Indian and Northern Affairs Canada |
| Other Contacts |
| Algonquins of Pikwakanagan |
| Mohawks of Akwesasne |
| Ontario Restaurant and Hotel/Motel Association |
| The Ontario Trucking Association |
| CAA Ontario |
| Ontario East Economic Development Commission |
| Interest Groups |
| Ottawa Transport 2000 |
| Real Estate Board of Ottawa-Carleton |
| Community Groups |
| Child & Youth Friendly |
| Champlain Park Community Association |
| Centretown Citizens' Community Association |
| Carleton Heights and Area Residents Association |
| Carlingwood Community Association |
| Cardinal Glen Association |
| Carlington Community Association |
| Canterbury Community Association |
| Britannia Woods Community Association |
| Belltown Neighbours |
| Bel Air-Kenson Park Community Association |
| Alta Vista Residents Association |
| Alta Vista Community Association |
| Action Sandy-Hill/Action Cote-de-Sable |
| Katimavik-Hazeldean Community Association |
| Island Park Community Association |
| Hunt Club Park Community Association |
| Hintonburg Community Association |
| Highland Park Ratepayers' Association |
| Heron Park North Community Association |
| Glebe Community Alliance |
| Glabar Park Community Alliance Inc. |
| Frank Ryan Park Community Association |
| Foster Farm Community Association |
| Federation of Citizens' Associations of Ottawa-Carleton |
| Fairlea Community Association |
| Faircrest Heights Community Association |
| Dow's Lake Residents' Association |
| Dalhousie Community Association |
| Copeland Park Community Alliance |
| Coalition of Inner City Community Associations |
| Old Ottawa South Community Association |
| New Edinburgh Community Alliance |
| Neighbourhood Alert |
| McNabb Neighbourhood Improvement Bunch (McNib) |
| Manor Park Community Association |
| Lowertown Community Association |
| Lindenlea Community Association |
| King Edward Avenue Task Force |
| Roseberry Avenue Residents Committee Inc. |
| Riverside Park Community & Recreation Association |
| Riverview Park Community Association |
| Ridgement Community Association |
| Quinterra Riverwood Community Association |
| Queensway Terrace North Community Association |
| Ottawa Uplands Limited |
| Ottawa East Community Association |
| Citizens for Safe Cycling |
| Woodroffe North Community Association |
| West Wellington Community Association |
| Woodpark Community Association |
| Whitehaven Community Association |
| Westboro Community Association |
| Westboro Beach Community Association (Inc.) |
| Uplands on the Rideau Association |
| St-Laurent Community Association |
| South Key/Greenboro Community Association |
In summary, the notification of PIC No. 2 was communicated to the general public and all identified community interest groups and federal, provincial and municipal agencies.
3.0 Presentation Material
To view the exhibits presented at Public Involvement Centre No. 2, which are provided in Appendix C, go to Get Involved: Public Involvement Centre #2
4.0 Public Comments
The total number of people who signed the register and the number of comment sheets that were received during the second round of PICs are summarized as follows:
| Registered Persons | Comment Sheets Received | |
|---|---|---|
| June 21, 2004 | 178 | 81 |
| June 22, 2004 | 109 | 40 |
| June 23, 2004 | 79 | 25 |
| Total | 366 | 146 |
In addition, approximately fifty-three (53) e-mails, letters, faxes or telephone calls were received by July 28, 2004, within the four week period following the PICs.
The public comments documented on the comment sheets are summarized in Table 2. A summary of the comments received and the responses provided can be found in Appendix D of this report.
Table 2: Summary of Public Comments
June 21, 2004
| Description of Comment | Number of Comments |
|---|---|
| Focus should be on public transit not roadway widening | 29 |
| Comments related to a specific ramp | 24 |
| Opposed to the widening of the Queensway | 11 |
| Comments related to a specific location | 10 |
| Request for more/larger sound barriers on the Queensway | 9 |
| Concerns regarding increased vibration/noise levels on homes in close proximity to the Queensway | 8 |
| Concerns regarding air pollution / compliance with Kyoto Accord | 8 |
| Concerns related to the loss of green space and mature trees | 5 |
| Supports the Technically Preferred Plan | 4 |
| Concerns related to the pedestrian crossings (safety) | 4 |
| Satisfied with information presented and/or discussion with Project Team at PIC | 4 |
| Public transit should be implemented as part of the Queensway study | 3 |
| Comments related to transit mode share displays presented at the PIC | 3 |
| Concerns regarding an increase in traffic | 3 |
| Concerns about property impacts including devaluation or expropriation | 3 |
| Comments related to Ring Road | 3 |
| Request for information | 2 |
| Request for traffic calming measures in specific residential areas | 2 |
| Comments related to widening of Ottawa Road 174 | 1 |
| Inquired about new bridges crossing the Ottawa River | 1 |
| Request to be placed on the Public Advisory Committee | 1 |
| Request to be placed on the mailing list for the study | 1 |
June 22, 2004
| Description of Comment | Number of Comments |
|---|---|
| Comments related to a specific ramp | 17 |
| Comments related to a specific location | 14 |
| Supports the Technically Preferred Plan | 7 |
| Request for more/larger sound barriers on the Queensway | 6 |
| Request for information | 4 |
| Request need for more signage in specific locations to improve safety | 3 |
| Comments related to Ring Road | 3 |
| Satisfied with information presented and/or discussion with Project Team at PIC | 3 |
| Focus should be on public transit not roadway widening | 2 |
| Concerns regarding air pollution / compliance with Kyoto Accord | 2 |
| Concerns regarding increased vibration/noise levels for homes in close proximity to the Queensway | 2 |
| Concerns regarding an increase in traffic on residential roads | 2 |
| Request for tree/shrub plantings in specific locations adjacent to sound barriers to reduce noise impacts and improve aesthetics | 2 |
| Opposed to the widening of the Queensway | 1 |
| Concerns regarding the impacts to cyclists | 1 |
| Concerns regarding loss of green space | 1 |
| Inquired about new bridges crossing the Ottawa River | 1 |
| Request to be placed on the mailing list for the study | 1 |
June 23, 2004
| Description of Comment | Number of Comments |
|---|---|
| Comments related to a specific location | 9 |
| Supports the Technically Preferred Plan | 8 |
| Comments related to a specific ramp | 8 |
| Comments related to widening Ottawa Road 174 | 4 |
| Request for information | 4 |
| Focus should be on public transit not roadway widening | 3 |
| Concerns regarding increased vibration/noise levels for homes in close proximity to the Queensway | 2 |
| Concerns related to increased traffic volumes in neighbourhoods | 2 |
| Request for more/larger sound barriers on the Queensway | 2 |
| Satisfied with information presented and/or discussion with Project Team at PIC | 2 |
| Request to be placed on the mailing list for the study | 2 |
| Opposed to the widening of the Queensway | 1 |
| Concerns regarding the loss of a building due to expropriation | 1 |
| Concerns related to pedestrian safety | 1 |
| Concerns related to the loss of green space and mature trees | 1 |
| Comments related to Ring Road | 1 |
| Inquired about new bridges crossing the Ottawa River | 1 |
| Inquired about timing of 'when the widening would begin' | 1 |
| Request to be placed on the Public Advisory Committee | 1 |
Additional Comments - Received by July 28, 2004
| Description of Comment | Number of Comments |
|---|---|
| Comments related to a specific location | 20 |
| Comments related to a specific ramp | 16 |
| Concerns related to the loss of green space / parkland | 13 |
| Comments regarding EA process / evaluation methodology | 11 |
| Focus should be on public transit not roadway widening | 7 |
| Opposed to the widening of the Queensway | 5 |
| Concerns about existing noise levels and noise impacts associated with Technically Preferred Alternative | 5 |
| Supports the Technically Preferred Plan | 4 |
| Concerns related to pedestrian and cyclist safety | 3 |
| Concerns regarding air pollution / compliance with Kyoto Accord | 3 |
| Request for TDM solutions including adding car pool lots, adding HOV lanes | 2 |
| Request for reduced speed limit on Queensway | 2 |
| Comments that study should consider requirements beyond 2021 time horizon | 2 |
| Concerns about potential vibration impacts associated with Technically Preferred Alternative | 1 |
| Comments relating to the widening of Ottawa Road 174; Highway 417/Ottawa Road 174 Interchange | 1 |
| Inquired about timing of 'when the widening would begin' | 1 |
| Consider making the Queensway a "tolled" roadway | 1 |
| Request to be placed on the mailing list for the study | 1 |
5.0 Analysis Of Comments
The results of the comment sheets received and discussions held at the second round of PICs are generally summarized below:
- The majority of the attendees on the first night stated that public transit needs to be a priority not the addition of lanes to the Queensway, which will provide increased capacity for cars.
- The main areas of concerns were site-specific in nature, including concerns about particular ramps and specific modifications under consideration.
- Members of the public expressed concern about property impacts, property loss, neighbourhood impacts, noise, air quality and vibration impacts, and safety.
- Concern was expressed about the loss of green space and mature trees.
- A number of attendees supported the widening of the Queensway and the Technically Preferred Alternative.
- There were requests for hard copies of specific information presented at the PIC.
6.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the attendance at the second round of PICs was strong and a substantial number of comments were received. This has allowed for the documentation of the key issues which are important to the public. It will allow the Project Team to deal with these issues as completely as possible prior to finalizing the Recommended Plan.
Similar to the first round of PICs, the majority of the attendees at the second round of PICs expressed concern about the widening of the Queensway and the overall long-term impacts on the property owners in the vicinity of the Queensway. Many of the comments were related to property and neighbourhood impacts and air pollution, vibration and noise levels impacts over the years as the number of vehicles on the Queensway increases.
Attendees also expressed concern that increasing the number of lanes on the Queensway would only increase the number of single-occupancy vehicles onto the road and ultimately result in the same congestion problem. Many people feel that increasing public transit would be a far better approach, thereby forcing individuals to leave their vehicles at home and use local transit.
Residents of the centre core felt that they were being negatively impacted in order to allow people living in the suburbs to use their vehicles to get to the downtown area. They strongly favor public transit over the Queensway expansion.
Although many attendees did not support widening the Queensway, some did support improvements to ramps and interchanges at specific locations.
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