Parliament Hill pathway fully reopens

Cyclists, runners and pedestrians can finally use the path below Parliament Hill again after it was closed for three months due to heavy spring flooding.

The National Capital Commission reopened the path at 4 p.m.Monday.

The pathway between the Ottawa Locks on theRideau Canal and the Fleet Street parking lot was closedApril 23 after floodwaters damaged the asphalt.

On June 14,a portion of the path between the locks and Bank Street reopened, but the rest of the path between Bank Street and the Fleet Street parking lot remained closed.

The NCC needed to clean up debris and make repairs to the asphalt and furniture. Some portions of the path also needed gardening work.

The NCC pathways along the Ottawa River cost nearly $2 million to repair after the 2017 floods, and were only recently completed. This time around, the work is estimated to cost $250,000.

However, repairing all the capital's bridges, pathways and shorelines after this spring's floods could cost the NCC between $6 million and$10 million. The single greatest cost up to $4 million over two years is expected to be fixing the Portage Bridge.

The Voyageurs Pathway between the Portage Bridge and the Canadian Museum of History remains closed and still needs repairs. That pathway is expected to reopen at the end of July.