Penny Thompson.
Penny Thompson, co-president of the Manor Park Community Association said Manor Park hopes to gain support from the surrounding communities to stop an east end bridge crossing at Kettle Island.
Michelle Nash
At the RCMP’s annual Sunset Ceremonies this year, Manor Park residents took the opportunity to spread the word about their campaign to oppose current Kettle Island interprovincial bridge option, one of three currently being considered.
For Manor Park, any proposal that would divert trucks from downtown to their backyard is not an option and residents used the June 25 ceremony as an opportunity to hand out about 300 information sheets about the Kettle Island bridge option.
The campaign, according to residents, is about protecting their way of life and they’re working to ensure other options are considered.
The other options, at Lower Duck Island and McLaren Bay-Gatineau Airport, are also currently being considered as options for an east end bridge.
“We were very pleased with the overall response to the handout” Penny Thompson, co-president of the Manor Park Community Association said.
The sheets stated the community’s position on the issue and questioned the National Capital Commission’s position on a number of issues surrounding the proposed interprovincial bridge.
Among those questions, Thompson points out, is there does not seem to be an integrated transportation plan for the National Capital Region.
“It is our view that the NCC has not clearly explained the need for a new bridge in the east end,” she said.
And when it comes to the question of where the trucks currently clogging King Edward Avenue should be diverted to, many in Manor Park feel the issue needs to be clearly defined.
“The project is taking an isolated approach to a not clearly defined problem, without the underlying planning principles or data to support the conclusions,” Thompson added. “Decisions made on this basis will be a blemish the National Capital region for generations to come.”
Resident John Forsey said they handed out flyers over three years ago in the same manner, in hopes to gain support and interest with the surrounding communities.
“We want people to see it is not just affecting us, it will be an issue that affects everyone,” Forsey said.
As the consultation process has begun for Phase 2B of the project, the environmental assessment to determine the best location for the bridge, Manor Park residents are hoping to make inroads in communication with the surrounding area to help create a strong opposition to the Kettle Island option.