The first test of the Old Ottawa East Community Design Plan and a companion secondary plan will receive a failing grade if city staff have their way.
Contrary to the direction of the approved secondary plan, city staff are not supporting the burying of the hydro wires on Main Street between Immaculata High School and Clegg Street.
Despite the city staff’s position,Councillor David Chernushenko will seek City Council’s approval to bury the wires.
Image, above: Pharmacist Scott Watson of Watson’s Pharmacy stands beside the hydro pole in the middle of the sidewalk at Hazel and Main. City staff do not support the removal of the poles and burial of the wires because of the cost. Photo by John Dance
Council approved the secondary plan in September 2011.
It stated that the city would “prioritize the burial of overhead wires for this precinct [west side of Main Street, between Clegg and Immaculata High School] due to the shallow lot depth.”
Now, staff have told community association representatives that the laying of wires underground would only take place if a requesting party such as the community association, residents or MainStreet businesses pay for the removal of poles and wiring and the burial of the new wires themselves.
The issue has come to a head during the course of the discussions of the design for Main Street renewal. The work is slated for 2014-2015.
Community representatives point out the entire roadway, water and sewer services are being torn up and rebuilt, so burying the hydro wires on the west side of Main on the central three-block section should be done at the same time.
“I am working to bring to Council as rapidly as possible a motion to fund wire burial on the segment of Main under consideration,” says Councillor Chernushenko. “I believe this is the type of exceptional circumstance that warrants support, given the Secondary Plan and the economic and social benefit that residents and developers will gain from a streetscape with fewer design and construction limitations, and less encumbered rights of way. I will argue that the benefits largely outweigh the costs.”
The Old Ottawa East Community Association’s planning committee noted the existing location of the hydro poles would prevent construction of six-storey buildings proposed within the secondary plan, unless their upper storeys are set back a minimum of 5 metres from the hydro wires.
The committee said this constraint could discourage further construction.
The community association also maintained the hydro poles would have to be relocated anyway; otherwise they would be in the middle of the proposed new Main Street sidewalk.
The OOECA indicated the cost of new hydro poles and wire relocation would be substantial (approximately $40,000 per pole).
In April 2011, City Council approved a policy that said the city would bury overhead hydro wires only when a requesting party paid the full cost of the burial.
During Main Street reconstruction, the city would install new wiring that would supply the new LRT system, the OOECA said. It would install the new wires along the west side of Main from Clegg Street to Greenfield Avenue.
The association said tackling the two jobs together is an opportunity to save money.
Hydro Ottawa estimated the net cost of undergrounding in a three-block section of Main Street to be from $1.5 to $3.5 million.
Analysis led by the OOECA planning committee suggested the work could be completed for about $1 million.
Glebe residents wanted hydro lines buried when Bank Street was rebuilt two years ago, but the city refused to do the work because of timing and cost.
On the other hand, poles will be removed and hydro lines will be buried on the south side of Rideau Street from King Edward to Wurtemburg, starting this year.
In 2010, City Council approved undergrounding of cables in Kanata North, with a price tag of about $180 per taxpayer. OOECA members calculated a levy on Old Ottawa East residents would be much higher.
