LRT in Connaught Park: Updated landscape plan, opportunity for feedback

Landscape plan for Connaught park showing walls around the train and small berms

re: Noise and Visual Mitigation in Landscape Plans for Connaught Park

QTNca has continued its advocacy for improvements in the LRT plans through Connaught Park, including paths and measures to reduce noise and visual impacts. Residents have an opportunity to provide feedback on a revised landscape plan now and a revised plan for connectivity is coming later this year.

In spring 2020, the QTN community was engaged in the consideration of berms proposed by KEV as a way to reduce noise and visual impacts for QTN residents (Letter to KEV regarding berms). Then OC Transpo announced that a noise study would be done; later we learned that it would include the whole LRT Phase II project, which took more than a year to complete. For Connaught Park, Councillor Kavanaugh and OC Transpo, in cooperation with QTNca, formed a public advisory committee (PAC) to facilitate community discussion about the plans to mitigate noise and visual impacts for this section of the LRT line.

The PAC met for the first time on September 21st and OC Transpo presented the following key points (click to view presentation, PDF):

  • The noise study showed a need for additional noise mitigation in Connaught Park.
  • Large berms will not be pursued for noise mitigation. Reasons given include: NCC paths require openings that reduce effectiveness for noise mitigation; insufficient space for large berms; and conflicts with underground utilities.
  • For noise mitigation, OC Transpo proposes three engineering elements: Absorptive wall panels, a noise barrier wall, and rail dampers (slide 6):
  • Design and colour of materials for the noise wall can be chosen to blend with a park setting and OC Transpo invites community suggestions on that.
  • Tree planting and vines will be used to “green” the noise wall; community input is welcome.

Members of the PAC raised several important questions:

  • Access to the noise study to read the analysis of noise impacts, the rationale for the decisions made, and the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. The presentation at the meeting did not include any quantitative or detailed analysis
  • Noise impacts and mitigation for other areas such as the fly-over bridge and the curves on the southbound train to Baseline. Current plans include noise dampers on the track over the fly-over but not a noise wall. Concerns about the noise around the curves include impacts for Woodroofe High School and Whitehaven as well as QTN.
  • More information from the perspective of residents, such as cross-sectional views and data from various locations along the route, e.g., north of Elmhurst.
  • Visual mitigation requires more attention. The study only considered noise mitigation, while both have always been raised by residents as important matters to be addressed.

Next Steps:

  1. We will share additional information as soon as we receive it
    • Based on a follow-up enquiry, the noise study will be available by the end of October.
    • Detailed analysis of noise impacts around the curves will be sent separately.
    • Additional drawings to show noise and visual mitigation from the perspective of residents.
  1. Feedback from QTN residents
    • OC Transpo is requesting feedback and suggestions on the appearance and colour of the noise walls, desire for vines, tree species (e.g., conifers, deciduous, fruit bearing), and overall landscape plan (see Slides 7 to 21). PAC members will compile community feedback and submit it to OC Transpo so it can be considered in development of final plans. Please submit your feedback to qtncommunity@gmail.com.
    • QTN residents may wish to provide other feedback and questions through the committee.  The committee will try to obtain answers to your questions. Questions/comments can be submitted to the QTN community e-mail at qtncommunity@gmail.com.
  1. A public Zoom meeting will be held later in the process.

Call for volunteers: Neighbourhood Canopy Regeneration Project

three trees

QTNca is looking for volunteers to participate in the Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability (CAFES) Neighbourhood Canopy Regeneration Project. The purpose of this project is to contribute to the regeneration of the urban canopy by building capacity of community associations, and engaging with residents, landowners and existing city tree programs. It will be implemented in partnership with Ecology Ottawa.

We are looking for volunteers that have some time to contribute to this project in the late summer and fall of 2021. Volunteers will assist with reviewing the QTN canopy, identifying canopy gaps, ground-truthing survey to validate plantable areas and a week of resident engagement.

Please contact nature.qtn@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.

Our spring cleanup is scheduled for April 17 (postponed)

UPDATE: Our scheduled clean up is on hold until further notice, due to Ontario-wide shutdown. For more information please see the program’s website: Cleaning the Capital Program (City of Ottawa)

Until the current restrictions are lifted and we are able to host the cleanup we encourage you to safely pick up garbage while you are outside exercising. Thank you to everyone who is already doing this, we have received several compliments on your contributions. Stay safe and if you need anything please do not hesitate to reach out to us (qtncommunity@gmail.com)  or your neighbours (on the local Facebook group).


Come help clean up our neighbourhood!

Meet us at the Frank Ryan Park Field House on Saturday, April 17, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM to get supplies and choose an area to clean. Latex gloves and garbage bags will be provided. In the event of rain, we will reschedule to Sunday, April 18, 2020.

If you plan on attending, we ask that you follow the City of Ottawa’s new guidelines due to COVID-19:

Please keep in mind that all participants must follow public health guidelines to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. This means your cleanup plan must be COVIDWISE (link is external) and include the following:

  • Keep a physical distance of at least two metres (six feet) from anyone who is not from your household
  • Wear a mask whenever physical distancing is not possible
  • Wash and/or sanitize your hands as early and as often as possible
  • If you are feeling unwell in any way, please stay home

See Ontario COVID-19 Response Framework (link is external) for more information.


Additional Information to keep QTN clean!