Bus station gone, Greyhound eyes link with LRT, transitway
For the first time in almost 100 years, Ottawa has no inter-city bus station. Worse, there doesn't seem to be a known plan for a replacement.
Kelly Egan, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Mar 29, 2021 • 1 hour ago • 4 minute read
One of the many things that quietly died during the pandemic — without any visible mourning — is Ottawa’s central bus station.
It happened in a hurry. Greyhound suspended Canadian operations in May 2020; it announced in October it would no longer use the Catherine Street depot when service resumed; the site was sold to a developer in March.
Poof. In the nation’s capital, in the space of months, the wheels no more go round and round.
For the first time in almost 100 years — 49 at this location — Ottawa has no inter-city bus station. Worse, there doesn’t seem to be a known plan for a replacement.
Why is no one talking about this? Isn’t a well-located bus station as important as the siting of an airport or train station? Is it not a lifeline for students, tourists, the car-less, the wandering, backpack dreamers?
In its last word on the issue — six months ago — Greyhound said: “As we work through the impact of the pandemic on our business, we will communicate well in advance our new location prior to a startup date.”
OK — that was October, this is now end of March. Is it not plausible bus service could resume at some level this year, as early as this fall? We reached out to Greyhound naturally. Days later, still crickets.
We do know the company has been in discussion with the City of Ottawa about possibly linking with the existing light-rail and bus network. But where and how?
(Buses, we have noticed, take up acres of room. The old station had about a dozen loading bays and the property was an entire city block. It’s not something you “tuck in” beside, say, Tunney’s Pasture.)
The city’s response:
“The City of Ottawa has been approached by Greyhound Lines regarding the possibility of accommodating intercity bus service at one of OC Transpo’s rapid transit stations, and the City has provided information on the operating characteristics of some possible stations,” wrote Pat Scrimgeour, the director of transit customer systems and planning.
“If Greyhound decides to proceed with this, customers would benefit from direct access to the City’s O-Train and Transitway networks, which offer multimodal connections to all parts of the urban area of the city.”
The city wouldn’t specify which stations are in the mix.
“It will be up to Greyhound to make decisions on what works for their business, and then for the City to determine whether Greyhound’s business needs can be accommodated,” Scrimgeour replied.
I mean, inasmuch as bus service is a private endeavour, is there not a sizeable public interest in putting the station in the right place? And shouldn’t the people of Ottawa, through their elected officials, have some input?
In 2010, then-mayor Larry O’Brien was involved in discussions with Greyhound about possibly moving the bus station into or beside the train station on Tremblay Road. In terms of creating a transportation hub, it does make sense as Tremblay now has an LRT stop and nearby Hurdman is on the transitway. So, is this a clue or a trail gone cold?
Ottawa Centre MPP Joel Harden is one of the few politicians to have made any public statements on the issue.
Growing up in Vankleek Hill, he said the Hawkesbury-to-Ottawa bus was a key service for young people in a small town, as was the bus to Queen’s University in Kingston for his undergraduate studies.
(The Catherine station was not only close to the 417, but also about midway between Ottawa’s two largest universities.)
“Losing long-haul passenger buses creates a huge gap for low and modest income commuters,” Harden said in written reply.
“Accessible, affordable long-distance bus service is sorely needed, and I’m open to alternatives, including public alternatives, to ensure commuters have that option.”
In an interview, he mentions the value of Greyhound’s parcel service — key for some small businesses — and the importance of inter-city service for small communities across the Ottawa Valley and Western Quebec.
“It would seem the government is implicitly saying, ‘Just drive your car.’ And that’s not a reality for a significant amount of people in the community.”
Just as Ottawa lost its station, the whole regulatory framework for inter-city busing in Ontario is changing.
It had been governed by the public, but arms-length Ontario Highway Transportation Board, which licensed operators of inter-community busing. But the Ford government is dissolving the board in an effort to deregulate the sector and “improve transportation options.”
So we may end up with many doggies in the race, not just a single hound, grey or otherwise.
Whatever happens, it’s high time for an open discussion about when the bus starts and, importantly, where it stops.
To contact Kelly Egan, please call 613-291-6265 or email
[email protected]
Twitter.com/kellyegancolumn
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...lrt-transitway
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