Residents demand city move Moodie LRT station

Residents ofOttawa's Crystal Beachneighbourhood are "violently opposed" to the proposed location of the Moodie LRT station and want it moved, community representatives told a city committee Tuesday.

Ottawa's finance and economic development committee approved the functional design for the station the western terminus of Stage 2 of the city's LRT system Tuesday.

We are extremely unhappy that this is happening.- Lynn Hart, Crystal Bay resident

The station will be located on a narrow wedge of land on the east side of Moodie Drive, between Highway 417 and CorkstownRoad, near Crystal Beach. Its construction will necessitate the realignment of CorkstownRoad where it curves alongside existing soccer fields.

"We are extremely unhappy that this is happening," said Lynn Hart, who lives nearbyand has gone door to door to gather feedback from her neighbours.

Hart said amajority ofthe neighbours she canvassed want the station moved west of Moodie Drive, even though that would mean a longer walk to the platformfor commuters.

Representatives from the Crystal Beach/LakeviewCommunity Association told councillors on the committee that the proposed station location threatens the area's ecological corridors.

"Our community really cherishes the Greenbelt," said Ian McConnachie, the community association's transportation chair.

He saidresidents will fight hard to preservethe wetland near the station site, which they fear could be permanently damaged by construction.

Put transit close to riders, planner says

Chris Swail, director of O-Train planning, said the city didn't want to put any more distance between the station and itsfuture users, many of whom will be arriving on foot.

The city's report confirms there's no room on the site for a park-and-ride, so people will have to walk, bike or bus to the station.

People catching the train from Crystal Beachand surrounding neighbourhoods would also have to cross a major intersection at Moodie Drive if the station were moved to the west side of the busy road, staff pointed out.

Swail said he worried thatwould "greatly dissuade people" from taking LRT.

Returned to natural state

Once the LRT system is expanded even farther west to Kanata, fewer people will be transferring from buses at MoodieStation, which will mean smaller crowds on the platform.

Swail said when that happens the city will decommission part of the station and return it to its natural state.

McConnachie urged the city to design the station with as much sensitivity to the surrounding wetland as possible.

"If all of your evidence shows it has to be on the east side, let's get the protections in on those areas that we have concerns for in our community," he said.

He said he'd also like to see the city repair some of the damage done to the Greenbelt during rapid bus transit construction, which is currently underway in the area.

Maintenancefacility moved

Mayor Jim Watson said locating the station close to the neighbourhood is "just common sense," despite pushback from the residents.

The neighbourhood already wona "great victory" when it comes to the location of the maintenance facility adjoining Moodiestation, said Watson.After consulting residents, the city agreed to move the facility to the west side of Moodie and away from homes. Themove could cost as much as $15 million.

"We heard loud and clear from the public that a storage facility and maintenance facility should be closer to an area that is not inhabited," he said.

The LRT extension to Moodie Drive is expected to open for service in 2023.