Glebe community calls for buried hydro lines

Glebe residents have renewed hope the City of Ottawa will bury the hydro lines that stand along the strip of Bank Street shops as part of its Lansdowne Park redevelopment plans.

The neighbourhood has lobbied previously to bury the power lines on Bank Street, from the Queensway to Holmwood Avenue, but the city has been noncommittal on the project, which is expected to cost between $8 and $12 million.

Caroline Vanneste, president of the Glebe Community Association, said burying the lines is the least the city can do if it plans to go ahead with the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park.

"This is something we thought five years ago should have happened, long before there was a discussion of the current plan for Lansdowne Park," said Vanneste.

"You could argue that this is a small thing to appease those concerns, but since it's such a big issue for our residents I'll take it if they're offering it."

The issue is set to return to council on Nov. 19, but councillors won't have to make a final decision on burying the hydro lines then. They will instead be asked to push the item forward to be voted on with a larger package of plans regarding Lansdowne Park.

Clive Doucet, the area's outgoing councillor, said the city shouldn't pass the buck. He said the street's revitalization plans should be approved now.

"They're willing to push this off to the next budget, but they're moving as fast as they can on Lansdowne, which is a far greater project," Doucet said.

"I find it a very strange mixture of responsibilities."

City staff said the Lansdowne redevelopment is set to begin in 2011.