Councillor defers sidewalks for Manor Park project

Decision comes after months of consultation, multiple surveys

After many months of debate, a final decision has been made: No sidewalks.

Rideau-Rockcliffe Councillor Rawlson King announced his verdict online late Friday, Sept. 5. In his newsletter that day, he explained the rationale behind his choice.

“I will defer sidewalks related to the infrastructure renewal project in Manor Park to enable smart planning that reflects future growth,” King wrote.

The integrated road, sewer and watermain project, scheduled to begin this fall, will go ahead as planned with curbs, he said. But with so many “major transportation and land-use changes” still to come, changes that will “fundamentally alter pedestrian patterns and mobility needs” in Manor Park, putting the brakes on sidewalk installation is needed to allow for a full analysis.

“I believe this deferral is a measured decision that balances the city’s active transportation objectives with the unique circumstances of Manor Park,” King noted. 

For Marc Patry, one of several residents to lead the opposition to sidewalks, the news comes as a relief. 

“My understanding is that deferment is basically an indefinite postponement — that the sidewalks will not be installed for many years to come,” he noted in an email exchange with the Chronicle.  “I’m very pleased with that outcome.”

While “a bit disappointed” that curbs will go ahead, he understands these may help with drainage. 

Manor Park Community Association president Natalie Belovic says she sees the decision as “a decent compromise.

“It (curbs)… allows the city to do the drainage that they would like (into the sidewalk sides and not the street bed) and it won’t require the same level of upkeep as sidewalks would have,” she said.

Patry said he’s relieved King listened to his constituents, “taking note that there was unanimous opposition to sidewalks amongst all those who responded to my survey and who were living on the streets affected.”

People have their say

To help convince King to defer sidewalks, more than 150 residents jammed the community room at 1805 Gaspé Avenue for an information session on July 30. The meeting included an update on the upcoming road, sewer and watermain project. But most people were there to discuss the key issue that has sparked strong reactions in Manor Park. Some have come out in favour. The vast majority are opposed.

Multiple surveys — two online and another door-to-door — all pointed to overwhelming opposition. The councillor also conducted his own survey of residents. Of the 338 responses, 267 or 79%, were against sidewalks. 

The issue even sparked a broad ‘NO SIDEWALKS’ sign campaign, co-ordinated by Peter Burpee.

In his presentation July 30, King explained sidewalks are automatically added to projects in accordance with the city’s newly ratified Transportation Master Plan. He said they are added for pedestrian safety, accessibility, connectivity, and could only be deferred “under exceptional circumstances.

“What I believe … can reach a level of exceptional consideration for deferral concerns the examination of holistic impacts to our area’s total transportation network,” he said. “In my estimation, sidewalk decisions should not happen in isolation.”

A number of projects are on the books for both the short term and medium term, King said. These include:

• the addition of sidewalks around Manor Park Public School (a separate project),

• upgrades to the ‘five corners’ intersection at Ava Road, Braemar Street and Eastbourne Avenue which could include a traffic circle,

• the opening of Hemlock Road from Wateridge Village, in conjunction with a planned revamping of Beechwood Avenue. King explained he has secured a $400,000 preliminary design study for Beechwood with Coun. Stephanie Plante. 

Then there’s also the threat of a new bridge at Kettle Island that could bring further pressure to the transportation network in the area. 

“I think that those elements create a higher bar in terms of a potential for deferral,” King told the crowd. 

Elizabeth Murphy, Program Manager, Transportation Engineering Services, gave a slide presentation in a bid to explain the need for sidewalks. 

She told the audience she understands the opposition, but noted there are several reasons for approving them. Referring to the city’s Official Plan, she said, “We want to make things safe, accessible, well connected.” 

Direct feedback

Belovic told the audience the board was split on the issue and took no official position. She was personally not in favour of sidewalks, however. 

“I think it’s clear, from the presentation, that nobody’s ever walked through the neighbourhood,” she said to loud applause. “We do meet on the street, we do walk together, walk in great numbers, our kids do walk to school, and it is an incredibly active neighbourhood,” she said.

Following the official presentations, the floor was opened to the audience. Questions, statements and comments flowed over the next hour, almost exclusively against sidewalks. 

A common theme was safety. Many people said they don’t feel it’s an issue. The streets, particularly in the subject area (west of St. Laurent, between Hemlock and Sandridge) are quiet. Residents feel safe sharing the road with vehicles. 

One voice in favour of sidewalks was that of Eugenie Waters, the chair of the MPCA Environmental Sustainability Committee. She reminded the audience Manor Park is more than the subject area but stretches from Montreal Road, running north along both sides of St. Laurent Boulevard to Sandridge Road. There is also a wide disparity in terms of demographics. 

“I think it’s really important to consider the needs of all people in the community who need to be able to travel safely throughout the neighbourhood,” Waters said.

For the most part, however, those opposed dominated the discussion.

David McInnes, who lives on one of the six streets designated for sidewalks, said he knocked on every door in the subject area. “Over 90 per cent of 76 households are strongly opposed to the imposition of sidewalks on our streets,” he said. 

“No to sidewalks. Please defer them and please take an evidence-based approach, then engage with us,” he said. 

In the end, that’s exactly the outcome following King’s Sept 5 announcement.