A local council member says, “Everyone wants to be the first one over this bridge.
Jeff Leiper is the kind of person who promotes active transportation by posting time-lapse videos of his bike rides to work in Ottawa on social media.
So, yes, the Kitchissippi ward councillor is excited about the idea of crossing the Ottawa River on the newly renamed and remodeled Chief William Commanda Bridge, which is just north of the Bayview LRT station.
Leiper is even worried that the long-delayed opening, whose date is still unknown, will happen while he’s on vacation in the summer.
He said on Friday, “We’re all very impatient.” “Right, I want to be the first? Everyone wants to cross this bridge first.”
Previous opening goals fell shor
As an act of reconciliation, the city council voted in July 2021 to rename the old train crossing between Ottawa and Gatineau, which used to be called the Prince of Wales Bridge, after William Commanda.
Commanda was an Algonquin elder who lived in the Ottawa area. From 1951 to 1970, he was Chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.
It would have been a nice gift for my birthday, which is in the middle of July.– Cyclist Margaret Delicate
The bridge was supposed to open in the fall of 2022, but it didn’t until last spring. The city blamed a lack of workers and problems with the supply chain.
This date also came and went, and Leiper said the city is still waiting on parts for the railings.
“At this point, I think we’re just waiting day by day,” he said of the $22.6 million project. “At least on the Ottawa side, there seems to have been some new building, which makes it look like the bridge will open soon.”
Last week, the city said in an email that work on the railings and other safety measures is taking longer than expected.
The city said, “We are committed to making sure the public is safe before we open the bridge. Because of this, we cannot give an exact opening date at this time, but we are still getting ready for a summer opening.”
In the meantime, some people on social media are keeping a close eye out for any signs of progress.
Gatineau Hills now has a new way to get there
On Saturday morning, cyclists going north on the Ottawa side of the bridge looked at the fenced-off entrance to the bridge.
Behind the barricade, it looked like metal posts were waiting for some kind of connecting material. Other than that, the bridge looked like it was ready to go.
While CBC talked to a retired couple riding a tandem bike, one rider asked, “Is it open?”
Margaret Delicate, who was sitting in the back, said, “My birthday is in the middle of July, so it would have been a nice birthday present.”
“It’s not unusual for a building project to open late,” her husband David said from the front.
Leiper and others are happy because the bridge will give cyclists, runners, and walkers who want to make new loops between Ottawa and Gatineau a new place to connect.
“It’s the variety,” said Larry Menard, who runs and rides bikes. “After a while, it gets old to do the same loops over and over again.”
He also said that it was “great” that there were no cars there.
“There is a way to get to the Portage Bridge. Crossing the Chaudière, you’re on the road. Menard said, “The Champlain Bridge has a path with a painted line, which isn’t much of a barrier if you’re worried about traffic.” “I’m quite comfortable in traffic. But accidents happen.”
Leiper said that the bridge will make it easier for families from Westboro, Hintonburg, Mechanicsville, and Champlain Park to cross into Gatineau. These neighborhoods are all in his ward.
Leiper said, “If you’re coming from downtown and want to get to the Gatineau Hills, this will be a much more direct and probably more pleasant way to get there than using the Champlain Bridge.”
Menard said that, as a Métis person who has met members of the Commanda family, he also likes the new name for the bridge.
He said, “It’s not about rewriting history.” “It’s a way to honor someone who made a big difference in this area.”