Today's letters: Closing Queen Elizabeth Driveway doesn't impress the kids

Saturday, July 13: The official “fun zone” that replaces car traffic is anything but, says one reader. You can write to us at [email protected]

Published Jul 13, 2024 • Last updated 5 hours ago • 10 minute read

The NCC’s latest closure of the Queen Elizabeth Driveway isn’t exactly drawing the crowds. Photo by Louise Rachlis

Driveway closure is no tourist draw

With an emphasis lately on promoting tourism in Ottawa, I recently asked my 10- and 12-year-old grandchildren to list the best summer activities in this city. They were compiling from first-hand experience, having just spent a week here visiting from Brampton.

The 12-year-old quickly wrote down in a mixture of printing and cursive: the Museum of Nature and the Museum of Technology (bugs, and the poop exhibit); outdoor city pools; Altitude gym; Mooney’s Bay, Britannia Beach and Petrie Island; movie theatres; “Lansdowne in general” (she means the playground, movie theatres, farmers’ market); mini-golf; and The Denny’s restaurant robot.

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She did not write down “Queen Elizabeth Driveway Closed to Cars for Active Use.” And yet she experienced it first-hand, walking down the middle of the road by herself, stopping to go under the misting arch, adding drizzle to the drizzle.

Then she played some kind of soccer ball activity that looked like a pool table. A ball bounced onto to the road, nearly hitting a lone cyclist. There was a swing shaped like an O (for Ottawa?) And something with pucks and hockey sticks.

There was a stage, with no sign about its use. The employee sitting all day on the folding chair didn’t know about any kind of schedule and suggested I look at the NCC website. The website notes “Summer Zone” has “fun for all ages” and offers an application form: “The NCC is looking for partners and community members to help animate the space. Community members, non-profit organizations and businesses can apply.”

“Activities are from 8 am to 8 pm,” notes the NCC, “but this section of Queen Elizabeth Driveway remains car-free 24 hours a day” from July 1 to Sept. 2. And, it adds, “There is no onsite parking for the Summer Zone. Parking is available at City Hall or the National Arts Centre.”

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Apparently we just have to hang on until the holiday weekends: “Explore culturally enriching events and activities, including art classes, artist showcases, and live music on the August Civic Holiday weekend and Labour Day weekend. You’ll also find LED swings and a dedicated performance space ideal for showcasing local talent.”

Meanwhile, the Denny’s robot wins.

Louise Rachlis, Ottawa

Closing the Driveway isn’t working

The NCC has done it again: closing the Queen Elizabeth Driveway from Somerset to Catherine streets all week to car traffic. Also, it created a “Fun Play Zone” on the grass. When sitting on our balcony, we can see about 20 bicycles going by. The cyclists do not stop to play those games as they are going to work or university.

Car traffic during the week is a dreadlock for people working downtown. They have to use different streets to get to work downtown. I am in favour of this street closure on the weekend but definitely not during the week.

At every Fun Play Zone, the NCC has hired what look like students to sit in a chair all day. They get bored and play the games.

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So ridiculous.

Ginette Brown, Ottawa

Don’t push trucks into other neighbourhoods

Re: Diverting truck traffic from Manotick’s main streets is possible — so why aren’t we doing it? July 8.

It is a myth to suggest that plans for the Vimy Memorial Bridge were to solve all the city’s truck traffic and transportation challenges in south Ottawa. Presently, the Vimy Bridge carries a heavy volume of trucks and is congested with commuters from across south Ottawa, including the Manotick and rural area.

It is also fair to suggest that the rural road network should support its local rural economy, which includes trucks.

We can agree that additional river crossings are needed, as well as a future southern ring road to expand the south Ottawa road network. Progress can be made by working together rather than exporting traffic concerns to your neighbour.

Steve Desroches, councillor, ward 22, Riverside South Findlay Creek

A better idea for safe bike storage

Re: Backpedal on slashing bike parking budget, July 6.

Brigitte Pellerin proposes providing expensive cages for safe bicycle storage. More than 50 years ago, I lived in a country with a better solution.

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Near each train station there was a barn-like structure with a sign best translated as “Bicycle Stable.” When I got to the stable, I was met outside the door by an employee with two tags in hand. One was placed on the bike; the other given to me. The bike disappeared into the stable.

The tag identified the location in the stable so that, when I returned in the evening, retrieval was almost instantaneous; I paid a small amount and was on my way home. The whole process was far quicker than looking for a storage place and locking/unlocking the bike. Because only employees entered the stable, theft was not a problem. We should try that here.

Dave Parnas, Ottawa

Women seem just as warlike as men

Re: A strong message about women and war, July 5.

There was always a notion that when women take over the world (and they eventually might), there would be peace and no more war. There haven’t been many women leaders, but there have been some, and they’ve gone to war.

Cleopatra went to war. Golda Meir, when she was Israeli prime minister, went to war. Margaret Thatcher went to war (although the Falkland Islands war wasn’t really the mother of all battles). Is there something in the human makeup, either by nature or nurture, and probably not gender-specific, that programs humans for war?

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The elusive dream of world peace, is just that, a dream, but it is also something that should always remain on the human horizon, for that is the ultimate human goal. If it ever comes to fruition, it will be civilization’s greatest accomplishment.

Douglas Cornish, Ottawa

Stop criticizing our defence effort

Re: Trudeau says Canada expects to hit NATO defence spending target in 2032, July 11.

I listened to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s media event from Washington about Canada’s current and future commitments to NATO. I had no idea that we had done so much and were on the path to doing so much more. I had only been reading and listening to some of Canada’s retired generals and MPs, American politicians and foreign leaders in NATO.

With what the prime minister outlined Thursday, I am unsure why any criticism is being directed Canada’s way.

From what the prime minister was saying, the U.S. will be riding our coattails in the very near future: their borders and interests will be secure and defence spending will be able to be directed to universal health care etc. You are welcome, U.S.A.

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Robert Lamont, Ottawa

Canada does its fair share for defence

In the 75 years of NATO’s existence, Canada has never reached the spending goal of two per cent of its GDP on defence.

NATO members are only compelled to help defend other NATO members. There is no compulsion, for example, to help defend Ukraine, a non-member — yet Canada has outspent many NATO countries, especially on a per capita basis.

Countries like the United States spend over two per cent as part of the military-industrial complex that boosts their economy. Canada going to two per cent would mean we’d acquire American-made war machines, further helping the U.S. economy.

We chose to not arm our military with nuclear weapons and we ditched the Avro Arrow under a Conservative government. We are not a nuclear-weapons state, unlike three NATO members — the U.S., U.K. and France — that include costly programs as part of their defence spending.

Donald Trump’s impetus for not supporting NATO countries that don’t spend two per cent may just be about supporting the U.S. economy, on our backs. It’s also a little hollow as the U.S. depends on NORAD. Today, the North Warning System is operated and maintained by the Inuit-controlled Nasittuq Corporation, under contract to the federal government. Much of our future defence spending will be to augment protection of the Arctic.

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If Canada is to increase defence spending, it should be geared toward modernizing our naval fleet and aircraft, which is what we are doing. I suggest our other spending concerns, such as climate change and the housing crisis, are at least as vital.

Peter Haley, Ottawa

Upside-down flag supports Ukraine

Early sailors in distress flew their national flag upside down to indicate they required help. Similarly, a country’s national flag flying inverted indicates it is in exceptional danger and requires support.

Ukraine is now in that position. The NATO Summit in Washington recognizes Ukraine’s desperate struggle and the need for help to stave off defeat in its war against Russian aggression. NATO pledges increasing military support.

Numerous Canadian households fly or display a Ukrainian flag in symbolic support for Ukraine’s plight. All Canadians can more assertively display our unwavering support for Ukraine through the flying or displaying of their national flag inverted, in recognition of Ukraine’s desperate fight to preserve national freedom and identity.

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Al Jones, Almonte

Surtax on homes? Don’t go there

Re: Does Trudeau plan to put the squeeze on older homeowners? July 9.

Based on Michael Higgins’ article, it would seem that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has found a new best friend In Paul Kershaw, the host of a podcast called Generational Squeeze. Kershaw advocates, among other things, a surtax on all homes worth more than $1 million. Trudeau seems to like that idea.

In the prime minister’s mind, people (read seniors) who bought their homes, in many cases decades ago, don’t understand that there has been a fundamental shift in the housing market.

I bought my home 44 years ago and struggled to pay off the mortgage like most others did. Trudeau’s suggestion that people like me don’t understand the changes in the housing market is an insult. There are myriad reasons why the rental and housing markets are so unaffordable today but the fact that a person’s home may have appreciated in worth to more than $1 million is not one of them.

Bill Windeler, Orléans

Don’t insult seniors over housing costs

So Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken to insulting seniors who “don’t understand the fundamental shift in the housing market.” This senior, and many more, figured it out long before the prime minister. That’s why those of us who are able have been co-signing mortgages.

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That does not help younger citizens without parental or family support, which puts the ball back in Trudeau’s court. To deny any responsibility for the current affordability crisis is disingenuous. Housing is primarily a provincial matter, but the federal government has had its fingers in that pie for a long time. It is directly responsible for immigration and national fiscal policy. And citizens would be better served if our government knew how to balance a budget.

As an electoral tactic, insults and denials are not going to swing my vote his way.

John Hollins, Gloucester

We had housing struggles too

When I joined the workforce in 1974 at the age of 21, the economy was well into double-digit inflation and by 1975, prices had risen by 11 per cent for the second year in a row. Labour costs were high, leading to higher consumer prices. Labour strikes were frequent and disruptive.

That led to wage and price controls from 1975 to 1978 (under Justin Trudeau’s father). I was a federal public servant and my wages were frozen for at least three years.

In 1982, as I looked to buy a house, mortgage rates were around 18 to 19 per cent. The day we closed, we considered ourselves very fortunate to have been able to lock in for three years at 17 per cent.

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The current rate of inflation is around three per cent and recent wage settlements, while dismal, are starting to pick up.

My point? It is not helpful when the Generation Squeeze advocacy group, which wants to tax people’s primary residences, tries to pit one group of people against another. We had some struggles too. We were not just sleeping and watching TV.

Elaine Collins, Ottawa

What if Americans flee to Canada?

My training in Boy Scouts told me to “be prepared.”

With our bumbling American cousins hurtling lemming-like toward the world of 2025, I worry that Canada is unprepared for the resultant wave of American political refugees seeking asylum here in the Great White North.

I would like to know if our leaders are even considering this real possibility and just how Canada will cope with the influx of people fleeing the wrath of Donald Trump.

Thomas Brawn, Orléans

How you can learn about Islam

Re: Why Hamas went rogue on October 7 and how the West could end the war, July 3; and This is a distorted view of the Qur’an, July 10.

I give credit to Ottawa Citizen for sharing the views of Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a Middle East scholar, who claimed that the “dying for Islam is praiseworthy.” In a letter of response, Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan asserted that this interpretation of Islam is contrary to faithful Qur’an practice, which urges people to live in harmony.

Given our official multiculturalism policy in Canada, I note that each October is Islamic History Month — where we can openly share in Canadian Islam, which is an integral part of being full citizens who thrive in our rich diversity.

Roman Mukerjee, Ottawa

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