Years late and far over budget, bridge welcomed
Politicians, residents see Airport Parkway span as new city landmark
The bridge was over budget, years behind schedule, the basis for a multimillion-dollar lawsuit and one of the walking paths leading up to it was the scene of the city’s latest homicide.
On Saturday, the Airport Parkway pedestrian and cycling bridge finally opened with city officials hoping to put its difficult past behind it.
“We finally made it!” outgoing River Ward Coun. Maria McRae shouted to cheers from a crowd of more than 100 excited residents gathered for an official ribbon cutting.
“I believe this bridge is going to become a beloved Ottawa landmark,” McRae said. “While I am confident its striking visual style will contribute greatly to our city’s collective identity, the true value of the bridge will be what it brings to our local community.”
McRae said the bridge means a “safe connection” from the community to shopping, restaurants, movie theatres and the O-Train at South Keys.
In October 2007, 26-year-old Kenny Dagenais died near this spot after trying to cross the parkway, which has an 80 km/h speed limit and a steady flow of vehicles.
Mayor Jim Watson said the city persevered with the bridge despite its many challenges because it is an important part of the city’s transportation network.
“I was a bit of a Doubting Thomas, I have to say, you know, ‘Why are we putting up such a fancy bridge?’ But when you see it, it is a gateway entry point to our nation’s capital. This is going to welcome tourists, heads of state, kings and queens, and everyone coming down the parkway as they arrive in our beautiful city,” Watson said. Resident Jim Ulicny agreed. “It was well worth the wait,” Ulicny said.
“Three years waiting for this bridge. It’s finished. I really think it is great,” he said. “Instead of trying to beat the traffic across the road, we have a safe way to go.
“I think it does act like a gateway from the airport and people will see that and remember coming to Ottawa.”
The bridge features a curved cement tower that rises 30 metres above the Airport Parkway. The bridge is suspended by 14 cables, which are lit up at night by recessed LED lights in the railings and overhead lights in the tower.
The bridge not only connects South Keys to the residential Hunt Club neighbourhood between Plante Drive and McCarthy Road, but also connects residents to the multi-use pathways that can carry them north toward Carleton University and downtown.
Allan Asselstine, a member of the Hunt Club Community Association, said he has been pushing for the construction of the bridge for two decades. Asselstine said he sometimes wondered whether the bridge would ever be built. Asselstine’s happy it’s finally here.
“Unfortunately it was a few years late,” he said.