Chief William Commanda Bridge (former Prince of Wales Bridge)

[OTownandDown]

Its about a 15 minute bike to Westboro Beach, and a 5 minute walk from Dominion Station... how much more 'urban beach' can you get?

We'd need to build a Bjarke Ingles-Inspired floating platform with a swimming pool inside, if you think anyone is going to swim in the extreme currents above or below the Chaudiere...

Kids will ALWAYS jump off bridges and cliffs into water. It's a right of passage for most.

Most kids know the exact pier to jump from (about two piers north of the Lemieux Island, at the deep part of the river, where the water intake is also located). It has basically a staircase in the mortar joints to clamber back out. If you didn't know that information, there's lots of rock shelves and boulders to land on just beneath the water's surface along the whole length of the bridge, unfortunately.

[rocketphish]

Path installation and pier rehab on Prince of Wales Bridge will cost $22M

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jul 05, 2021 • 4 hours ago • 2 minute read

The city needs to dip into development charge revenue and the transit reserve to install an interprovincial path and repair the piers on the Prince of Wales Bridge, a project that will cost more than $22 million.

City staff told council on Monday that the federal government is providing about $8.6 million for the work, but that’s just a portion of the total amount required to rehabilitate the old rail bridge over the Ottawa River and cover the tracks with a multi-use path designed to preserve the rails on the deck.

The city has moved quickly in recent months to study and design a pathway to be built on the bridge, knowing that federal infrastructure money would likely be available for the project. The project is almost ready to be tendered.

While the city had been planning for an estimated $10.5-million project, council has now been told the total scope of construction will be about $22.6 million because of structural work required on the piers and abutments.

The city has been planning for the pier work through its regular budgeting process and has $5 million set aside for necessary repairs, but it needs to get council’s approval to direct about $9 million more to the project.

On Wednesday, Mayor Jim Watson is expected to ask for council’s approval to take roughly $6.4 million from development charge revenue and another $2.5 million from the transit reserves to pay the difference.

The City of Ottawa-owned bridge is considered part of the city’s transit portfolio since the crossing has been eyed for an interprovincial rail link to Gatineau. With the City of Gatineau intending to use the Portage Bridge for an interprovincial tramway, the Prince of Wales Bridge could be used as a secondary option for an Ottawa-Gatineau public transit link one day.

Until that day comes, the bridge will be a pedestrian and cycling path.

Turning the bridge into a usable public space will relieve the city from trying to stop people from accessing the bridge deck. A 26-year-old man from London, Ont. died last month and a 14-year-old Ottawa boy died in July 2020 after jumping from the bridge into the river.

These are likely the last remaining days that the crossing will be called the Prince of Wales Bridge.

Watson will also ask for council’s approval on Wednesday to rename the crossing the Chief William Commanda Bridge after the late Algonquin elder. He was chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation from 1951 to 1970. Watson first proposed renaming the bridge after Commanda during his state of the city address in January.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...-on-prince-of-wales-bridge-will-cost-22m

[roger1818]

The city should just give the bridge to the NCC (if they will take it) and let them deal with it. It is an interprovincial bridge, so the financial burden should not fall on the city.

[rocketphish]

City AG will audit $1B e-bus project as staff negotiate deal with feds — also Lansdowne, Chief William Commanda Bridge

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jul 07, 2021 • 4 minutes ago • 4 minute read



<snip>


$22.6M approved for Chief William Commanda Bridge project

A council approval on Wednesday means the Chief William Commanda Bridge will connect Ottawa and Gatineau with a multi-use pathway over an old rail crossing after $22.6 million in construction is complete.

The city needed council’s permission to spend $9 million more beyond what has already been earmarked for improvements to the bridge. The extra money is coming from development charge revenue and the transit reserve.

Coun. Carol Anne Meehan questioned the increased cost and was the only councillor who dissented on the motion.

The first estimate two years ago was in the ballpark of $10 million, but the city realized the bridge required additional safety measures, including rehabilitation to its piers.

The city also expects to receive $8.6 million from the federal government for the project.

Stephen Willis, the city’s general manager in charge of planning, infrastructure and economic development, predicted the finished bridge would become one of Ottawa’s biggest attractions.

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said the bridge would be a “four-season gem,” noting that it would be groomed for cross-country skiing in the winter.

The bridge was called the Prince of Wales Bridge before council’s decision on Wednesday to honour the late Algonquin elder with the new name.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...roject-as-staff-negotiate-deal-with-feds

[rocketphish]

Former Prince of Wales Bridge gets renamed, and $14M in city funding
Interprovincial crossing will now be named Chief William Commanda Bridge

Joanne Chianello · CBC News
Posted: Jul 07, 2021 2:26 PM ET | Last Updated: 5 hours ago



Residents are one step closer to being able to walk, cycle and perhaps even cross-country ski across the Ottawa River at Bayview Station after Ottawa city council voted to help pay to rehabilitate the bridge, as well as rename it.

City councillors voted to immediately rename the interprovincial crossing, formerly known as the Prince of Wales Bridge, to the Chief William Commanda Bridge, and commit $14 million on fixing the bridge.

Coun. Carol Anne Meehan, who expressed concerns over the price tag of the project, was the only councillor to dissent on Mayor Jim Watson's motion to fund and rename the former Prince of Wales Bridge.

"This is simply going to be a huge tourism draw in Ottawa," said Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper, who represents the ward that includes the bridge, and who seconded the mayor's motion.

"It will be a four-season gem, recreationally, in the city and it's really going to be a really key part of our transportation network for active transportation, bringing people safely back and forth to Gatineau."

The city bought the rail bridge from Canadian Pacific Railway in 2005 to be used as a transit link between Ottawa and Gatineau sometime in the future. But that might be a long way off, in part because Gatineau is planning for its future tram to cross the river using the nearby Portage Bridge.

Turning the 1.3-kilometre bridge into a multi-use pathway for foot traffic will cost a total of $22.5 million: $12.1 million for the path itself, including beefed-up railings, LED lighting and a few benches; and $10.4 million to restore the piers holding up the bridge.

Sneaking onto the bridge has always held allure for some residents. Tragically, two people have died in as many as years after swimming off the bridge. It's not yet clear if or how the retrofit will discourage people from jumping into the river below.

Of the money committed to fixing the bridge, $5 million will be set aside for the pier work, which was already budgeted for. On Wednesday council approved an additional $9 million to the plan, which came from development charge and transit reserve funds.

In the coming days, the federal government is expected to announce it is funding the remaining $8.6 million. Local MP and Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna, who recently announced she's not running for re-election, made reopening the bridge a campaign promise in 2019.

The project should go out to tender this summer, at which point city officials should have a better idea of when it might be completed.

William Commanda served as Chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation from 1951 to 1970.

Commanda was also a well-known Algonquin elder in the Ottawa area for many years. In 2008, he was awarded the Order of Canada.

The mayor said the renaming is part of the city's reconciliation efforts and told council Wednesday he had consulted with a number of elders in the region — including Claudette Commanda, William's granddaughter — who supported the renaming.

Council also agreed to earmark $94,000 for Indigenous public art, and for the tender to include a requirement for the successful bidder to engage Indigenous contractors and labourers on the multi-million-dollar project.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/chief-william-commanda-bridge-funding-1.6092848

[Tesladom]

They are not removing the rails, right?

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by Tesladom

They are not removing the rails, right?

Correct, the bridge deck is being built on top of the rails.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

We'd need to build a Bjarke Ingles-Inspired floating platform with a swimming pool inside, if you think anyone is going to swim in the extreme currents above or below the Chaudiere...

Yes. That is correct!

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

Correct, the bridge deck is being built on top of the rails.

This clinches that it won't be used for transit.

[McDonald's Racoon]

All we need now is for that giant Merkley Supply lot to be replaced with something worth the location and we have an interesting entrance from the bridge.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

This clinches that it won't be used for transit.

It would be more conclusive if they were removing the rails.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by roger1818

It would be more conclusive if they were removing the rails.

The next step will be the removal of the rails. It's not as if they aren't already academic, anyway.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

The next step will be the removal of the rails. It's not as if they aren't already academic, anyway.

It will be a long time before that happens. Before they can remove the rails, they would need announce that they plan to discontinue the line in their 3 year plan and wait to see if anyone will buy the bridge from them.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by roger1818

It will be a long time before that happens. Before they can remove the rails, they would need announce that they plan to discontinue the line in their 3 year plan and wait to see if anyone will buy the bridge from them.

Yes, they will start going through the hoops as soon as they can.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Yes, they will start going through the hoops as soon as they can.

Not until Moose is officially dead, as they might scrounge up enough money to buy it.

[mxg308]

I tend to agree with Uhuniau. That rail link is now dead forever. The bougie x-country skiers will never let it go now. I'm definitely not thrilled we're spending $22M so some privileged skiers who drove from the suburbs can cross a bridge for fun! As for being a tourist attraction, I can't imagine why someone would venture out of the downtown core to cross an old rail bridge and make that a top destination as part of their time in Ottawa. If the Gatineau Tram does ever get off the ground, the bridge would form a perfect secondary link and would not overburden Bayview. Furthermore, if Gatineau was smart they would start looking at converting the Rapibus into rail since the track is already there. Lastly, I believe some remnants of the spur to Chaudiere remains. Would make a nice secondary link for those coming south and west from Ottawa.

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by mxg308

I tend to agree with Uhuniau. That rail link is now dead forever. The bougie x-country skiers will never let it go now. I'm definitely not thrilled we're spending $22M so some privileged skiers who drove from the suburbs can cross a bridge for fun! As for being a tourist attraction, I can't imagine why someone would venture out of the downtown core to cross an old rail bridge and make that a top destination as part of their time in Ottawa. If the Gatineau Tram does ever get off the ground, the bridge would form a perfect secondary link and would not overburden Bayview. Furthermore, if Gatineau was smart they would start looking at converting the Rapibus into rail since the track is already there. Lastly, I believe some remnants of the spur to Chaudiere remains. Would make a nice secondary link for those coming south and west from Ottawa.

I'll spell it out again:

When we want a secondary rail link again, we just cantilever a new MUP off the side of the bridge, lift the boards, replace the rails, and TADA we have a MUP for all the cyclists and skiers and restored rail service. If done right, it wouldn't even need to interrupt pedestrian access at all.

The argument that "the cyclists" or "the bougie x-country skiers" would throw a fit over having to cycle or ski next to and active rail line is on the same level of rhetoric as "the war on cars". It's so cynical and tiring.

[mxg308]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

I'll spell it out again:

When we want a secondary rail link again, we just cantilever a new MUP off the side of the bridge, lift the boards, replace the rails, and TADA we have a MUP for all the cyclists and skiers and restored rail service. If done right, it wouldn't even need to interrupt pedestrian access at all.

The argument that "the cyclists" or "the bougie x-country skiers" would throw a fit over having to cycle or ski next to and active rail line is on the same level of rhetoric as "the war on cars". It's so cynical and tiring.

I completely understand your perspective and I also get how potentially easy the conversion would be but the fact that this bridge is interprovincial (already makes it more challenging in every aspect) and we've seen other corridors simply vanish so I have my doubts. The City of Ottawa sometimes isn't the most forward thinking and it tends to made things more difficult than they need to be. I can 100% see the city balking at any further costs. Jim has on many occasions liked to talk up the price to rehabilitate the bridge for rail and his numbers are always inflating every time someone brings it up. Call me skeptical I guess. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Kitchissippi]

I think the potential of this bridge as an O-Train link was already quashed a while back when they designed Bayview Station, seeing that the tracks are now vertically and horizontally offset. With the current situation, the option left is an STO link (rail or Rapibus) that terminates at Bayview.

I have this fantasy scenario where the Trillium line is fully double tracked and gets elevated after Somerset with a new centre platform upper level built above the unroofed gap of Bayview Station, then on to a completely new high level bridge It could continue elevated and grade separated all the way to the casino.

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I think the potential of this bridge as an O-Train link was already quashed a while back when they designed Bayview Station, seeing that the tracks are now vertically and horizontally offset. With the current situation, the option left is an STO link (rail or Rapibus) that terminates at Bayview.

I don't see how you reached that conclusion.