Section of Gamelin Street closed permanently to traffic

A busy section of road in Gatineau is now closed to commuters permanently after years of debate between the city and the National Capital Commission.

A small stretch of Gamelin Street,whichruns east off the Gatineau Parkway, is being dug up over the summer.

The NCC, which owns the property, wants to repurpose the road into parkland and build a multi-use pathway. The work is scheduled to be done at the end of the summer, said NCC spokesman Cdric Pelletier.

The City of Gatineau took theNCC to court last year in an effort to keep the road open, but lostthe case. Residents who use the road and livenearby are dividedabout its closure.

'It's going to confuse people'

"No, it's stupid. It's going to confuse people," said Rachelle Lemire, who cycles across Gamelinduring her morning commute.

Andre Dufour, another cyclist,said having to navigate around the closed road will increase the length of his morning bike ride to work.

"I know there are some cycling paths around the lake there," said Dufour, "but this way is more direct."

Chain-link fencing and large signsnotifying people that the road is closed now bookend the600-metre stretch of road. It remains open at the intersection ofGamelin and des Fes Street.

Nearby residentstold CBC News thateven on the first day of the closure, the amount ofvehicle traffic has dropped substantially.

"We're really happy, some mornings until 8:30 it was almost bumper to bumper,"said homeowner Helene St-Jacques, who haslived on Gamelin since 2001.

"You know this was a shortcut," she added."People are so in a rush and I can understand their sidebut I'm not gonna miss it."

City filed injunction against NCC

The City of Gatineau tried to keep the section ofGamelin open to the public by filing an injunction against the NCC in the fall of 2012.Paramedics saiddelays would be caused by the diversion of about 5,000 motorists who use the road each day.

While watching excavators digging up asphalt this morning, Gatineau resident Richard McCabe saidhe's happyaboutthe road being repurposed.

"You don't see many roads being taken up in any city," said McCabe. "It's a unique opportunity to see some parkland come back."