A petition calls on the National Capital Commission to restore vehicle access to Gatineau Park to pre-pandemic levels, but the National Capital Commission says it is not reversing, even when life returns to normal.
Since the spring of 2020, the NCC has closed some of its busiest vehicle fleets from May to autumn, opening them to active uses such as cycling, running, skating and rollerblading.
This was done on a trial basis in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with vehicles banned throughout the day, every day. A few months after the plan, the NCC changed pilots to allow vehicles on Sunday afternoon.
The 2021 pilot version opened vehicle parks after 1pm and up to 30 minutes after sunset on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
The yellow lines are the parks closed to vehicles all day on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, as well as Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until 1pm (NCC)
The pilot continues this year on the same schedule as in 2021, but with the addition of a free weekend shuttle, which begins in late June.
Some of Gatineau Park’s more popular attractions are affected, including Pink Lake; the views of Champlain, Fortune Lake, Heron and Étienne Brûlé; Lakes of Mulvah and Bourgeois; and Waterfall, Lauriault and King Mountain trails.
A petition is being circulated
As of Friday, more than 3,000 people signed an online petition calling on the NCC to lift the vehicle ban, calling it “discriminatory.”
But Kadi says he started the petition because he believes unfair parks are limited to “active users”.
Caddy, who runs a tour group in Ottawa-Gatineau, said many people who love the park can’t physically ride a bike or walk all the way to their destinations in the park.
Restrictions limit people’s ability to drive to some car parks and give them a shorter transition.
“Why do we prefer these so-called active consumers to the elderly, families, people with disabilities?” Said Cady. “We are active consumers [too]we are active consumers using the park, not the sidewalk. “
The reduction of vehicles is in line with the new master plan of the park
The abolition of vehicle access to some roads has been done to provide more space for people to exercise during the pandemic, but is also in line with the recent NCC master plan of Gatineau Park, approved in 2021.
Fewer vehicles in the park are better for the environment, for the animals that live in the park, and are safer for park users, said Catherine Vero, director of the NCC for Quebec City and Gatineau Park, in interview on friday.
“It is clear that the path we are taking now is to reduce the use of cars in the park and we want to encourage active transport, so we will not go back,” Vero said.
The NCC is exploring other ways for people to access the area, including renting e-bikes and the shuttle system, and Verreault said the NCC hopes people will try these new ways to access the park and provide feedback.
“The schedule we are proposing this year is not final. “We always want to improve and provide a very good user experience for Gatineau Park users,” she said.
The shuttle will operate from June to August
The available free transportation will take place on Saturday and Sunday from June 25 to August 28 on a first come, first served basis, according to the NCC.
It will run every 30 minutes from Ottawa-Gatineau to the Gatineau Park Visitor Center in Chelsea, Quebec, with the first departure at 9:10 a.m. and the last at 4:45 p.m. Each shuttle will be equipped with a bicycle rack.
Stops include Wellington / Lyon on the Ottawa River side and then the Canadian History Museum, Montcalm Street, South Park Entrance (P3), Pink Lake Lookout, Mackenzie King Estate, Lauriault / Mulvihill, King Mountain, Champlain Lookout, Camp Fortune and Quebec Visitor Center.
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