Closure of a Section of Gamelin Street

See the updated version of this news item.

The announcement of the closure of the section of Gamelin Street, between the Gatineau Parkway and des Fées Street, incited strong reactions and led to much discussion in recent days. The National Capital Commission (NCC) wishes to reiterate the reasons for this decision.

During the planning of the Saint-Raymond and des Allumettières boulevards (completed in 1989 and 2007), the NCC and the Ville de Gatineau had agreed that this section of Gamelin Street would eventually close. The NCC agreed to the construction of these eight lanes going through Gatineau Park on the condition that this section would be reintegrated into the Park.

The closure of this section of Gamelin Street has been a subject of many discussions, studies and public consultations since the 1980s. It is referred to in the 1990 and 2005 Gatineau Park master plans.

Prior to the announcement of the closure, the NCC worked with l’Agence de santé et des services sociaux de l’Outaouais to assess the impact of the closure on the response time of the ambulance services. Their report confirms that the closure of this section will not have significant impact on the response time of ambulance services. Following these results, the NCC is committed to working with the ambulance services so they can continue to access the Park.

The Ville de Gatineau traffic study (Étude d’impact sur la circulation de la rue Gamelin) further demonstrated that this 600-metre stretch of Gamelin Street has no impact on police or fire services and is neither a short-term, nor a long-term solution to ongoing traffic problems in this area. The study outlined existing traffic conditions as well as mitigation measures that will be needed following the closure of this section of Gamelin Street.

As stated publicly, if the Ville de Gatineau would, via a resolution of their city council, commit to putting in place the mitigation measures in 2013, the NCC would consider delaying the closure for one year.

The NCC’s mandate is to ensure the long-term sustainability of Gatineau Park, not only for residents, but for all Canadians. Our ultimate objective is to conserve Gatineau Park, a treasure in Canada’s Capital Region, and to improve the ecosystems in the Lac des Fées sector of the Park.

Effective October 29, the NCC requests that motorists use Alexandre-Taché, Saint-Raymond or des Allumettières boulevards.

Public wishing to contact the NCC can do so at 613-239-5000, 1-800-465-1867, 613-239-5090 (TTY) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY) or visit the NCC’s website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca.