CHNA letter on OC Transpo cuts

Dear Sirs: Please ensure that this response is considered as part of the
feedback on the OC Transpo network optimization proposals.

Dear Sirs:

The Civic Hospital Neighhbourhood Association is deeply concerned about the proposed cuts to OC Transpo routes 3, 6, and 85. These cuts will hurt many residents who depend
on transit, and will increase the traffic on our already-overcrowded streets.

Furthermore, these changes completely ignore the huge amount of new development in our neighbourhood, particularly between Sherwood Drive and Preston Street. These
buildings have been zoned at a much higher density than normal -- because of the nearby, frequent transit access. With these changes, residents will have fewer choices and
less service, particularly to nearby neighbourhoods where they might want to shop, visit libraries and community centres, and attend church. This will work directly against
the goals of the Official Plan and of these zoning changes.

Route #85

In particular, the proposed rerouting of #85 would make it much harder to access the nearby churches, community centre, schools, and businesses in the Glebe (especially on
Sundays).

Currently, one can take the #85 to Bronson and Carling, then walk in only one to five blocks to get to a high school, a public school, three large churches, the
Glebe Community Centre, and all the businesses on Bank Street. Turning the #85 at Preston means adding eight blocks -- uphill -- to that walk, which makes it much less
practical, especially when one is carrying any shopping or schoolbooks. Routes #101/102 don't run on Sunday or later in the evenings, and will in any case be less frequent.

As well, route #85 currently crosses in the middle of Chinatown, providing easy access to all the restaurants and shops there. Moving it to Preston Street means a long walk
-- uphill again -- to get to the major restaurants and destinations in that area.

Route #6

Route #6 is an important link on weekdays from downtown to the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital and to Tunney's Pasture. Reducing its hours to peak periods only will
make it almost useless for those people who use it for regular hospital and doctor appointments, particularly seniors, as well as those who take it to get to destinations
in the Glebe and Centretown.

Stopping route #6 at Carling Station (instead of continuing it to Tunney's Pasture) makes it essentially useless for all those residents who work at or near Tunney's, or who use
it as another option to get to the hospital.

Route #3

Route #3 currently is the only route which provides access to the Experimental Farm, which is an important recreational area in our very crowded neighbourhood -- and not just
in summer for tourists. This route also provides access to the shopping areas off Merivale Road, as well as businesses on Prince of Wales in the Farm, which will not have any
access at all under the proposed cuts. Removing the #3 would substantially reduce access for our residents.

We are seriously worried that this reduction in transit service will mean:
a) those who can afford cars will use them more and clog up our congested streets even further
b) those can't afford cars will have a much more difficult time doing their necessary trips to work, school, shopping, churches, and recreation.

We urge you to reconsider these changes.

Routes #101, #102

We note that the proposed changes to routes #101 and #102 should save at least four minutes per trip by avoiding the slow traffic signal at Powell and the detour through the
neighbourhood. We urge you, therefore, to allow these routes to stop at ALL stops along their route. Currently these routes ignore more than half of the stops in our
neighbourhood making these routes difficult and frustrating to use -- and meaning that the route 102 frequently has fewer than five passengers on it while travelling down Carling.

Yours sincerely,
Alayne McGregor
Secretary
for the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association