Your community association planned to host a public meeting so you could ask questions about LRT 2. We can’t do that because of COVID-19 however, we are working to find other ways to help ensure your questions are answered. Below are key points from a video briefing which 2 members of the board could attend and links to more information.

We encourage every resident to check the city website for public information and sign up for news releases related to each station area. Go to: https://ottawa.ca/en/planning-development-and-construction/major-projects/stage-2-light-rail-transit-project/project-updates.

Ensure your Questions get answers

We know residents have lost confidence about getting answers because of past experience. We will try our best to ensure your questions are answered. One way to do that now is to send your question directly to the LRT Stakeholder Relations officers and copy qtncommunity@gmail.com. Stakeholder Relations officers are Alison Lynch and Damon Berlin at stage2@ottawa.ca. We will track your questions and help to ensure answers are given as much as we can. If you want more detail or discussion, please call Kathy Vandergrift at 613-820-0272. We will tell you what we can find out, under COVID-19 restrictions.

Sincerely,

Kathy Vandergrift, Chair of Planning Committee and Vice-Chair of QTN Association

Simon Partridge, Chair of QTN Association

Updates and answers

This Summer

Construction work will begin in QTN. COVID-19 guidelines are in place. In the next two weeks some trees at the south end of Connaught will be removed to create an alternate entrance to the OC Transpo Bus Service Yard. The alternate entrance will be used during construction. It will go back to the existing entrance when construction is complete. Connaught street will stay open during this work.

Other work will involve moving utilities, ground preparation, etc. The cut-and-cover tunnel construction may begin in the fall. More specific updates will follow.

Lincoln Fields Station

Design is in final stages. Conceptual drawing can be viewed in this set of slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k5kTfHj6nKN3XCi2XSYX0OpqPsLoExc0/view.

The bus station will be moved further west to accommodate construction. Washrooms will be inside transit fare zone. 60 bike stands will be provided. How QTN residents can access new station fall under Connectivity section below.

We are asking questions about cover of waiting areas for bad weather, “kiss and ride” access, and good pedestrian access, also in bad weather.

Fly-over through Connaught Park

Design not finished yet. There will not be any public input during design stage, as promised earlier. The eastern path along Pinecrest creek will go under the train to allow people to get to other side. At the highest point, the distance from the ground to the bottom of the top track will be 4.5 metres. In response to questions, it is a low as it can be and it is not feasible to lower bottom track to reduce the massive, visual intrusion through what is now restful space.

Your representatives have objected to lack of consultation and asked for a separate session to answer questions from QTN residents, given its impact for our neighborhood.

Noise Studies

The contractor will do more noise studies and is required to meet city standards. The removal of the existing buses was cited again as removing more noise than what the new trains will create in Connaught Park area. For areas close to the Queensway, the noise issue is on the table in the planning study for the Queensview Station/Queensview Drive area.

Berms in Connaught Park area

New plans for berms between the LRT tracks and QTN are in design stage. The National Capital Commission (NCC) who owns the land has insisted on public consultation. That will likely happen in early May. Watch for details.

Queensview Station and Pedestrian Crossing

Design is in final stages. Conceptual drawing is one slide in set at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k5kTfHj6nKN3XCi2XSYX0OpqPsLoExc0/view.

Residents will be able to use the pedestrian crossing to Queensway Terrace South, over the Queensway, separate from the station. 20 bike stations will be available. Current access for QTN is from Connaught on a path parallel to Queensway behind Severn Ave. An additional access from the West side of QTN is actively being pursued, but there is no solution yet. It remains a high priority and we persist in naming it.

Houses Close to Construction and Vibration Studies

Notices have been sent to owners of homes close to construction, as determined by the City, to do baseline study of existing structures to compare if there is evidence of damage during construction. If you think your home should have a study done but you have not received a notice, you should contact the LRT office now.

Connections after Construction

Easy access to Lincoln Fields Station, Queensview Station, and across the system to other neighborhoods, shopping, etc. remains a high priority issue. This is called connectivity. A new connectivity study by a local firm is being done because of concerns about adequacy of earlier studies. A public advisory group will include one representative from QTN. We are working to find a way to share information and channel your questions through our representation. This will be early May. Watch for details.

Community Garden in New Green Space

Some residents have indicated interest in having a community garden included in landscape plans. We need to take that up with the NCC if we want to pursue that. If anyone has interest and willing to work on this, please contact us.

Solar Energy as Added Value

Some residents have suggested including solar energy as some European public transit systems do. It could reduce long-term costs and contribute to climate change goals. The LRT planners have shown no receptivity. We are taking this up with Councillor Kavanaugh since design of stations is critical to allow this.

Tree-canopied streets and green spaces are named by QTN residents as one of the most valued features of our neighbourhood. They are also important assets as we deal with the impacts of climate change. Losing mature trees is sometimes unavoidable because of disease or other factors. Unfortunately though, sometimes it is also because of neglect or poor planning.

The City of Ottawa is reviewing its tree bylaws to better manage these community resources. A
submission by the QTN planning committee focuses on the need to take the impact on trees more seriously and consider them earlier in the planning process. All too often our members have been told that the impact of development projects on adjacent trees will be addressed by another office only to then have the tree cut down at a later date because it is “too late to save it”.

The lack of an integrated planning process is costly. The submission addresses these issues and also calls for different criteria for various kinds of trees, in addition to a pro-active approach to public education about preserving and replacing trees as an important part of what makes QTN an attractive neighbourhood.

You can read the submission by the planning committee here – QTN Submission for Review of Tree bylaws. If you have suggestions for how QTN can stay and become an even better green community, please send a message to qtncommunity@gmail.com.

Updates on LRT Phase 2 through QTN