Mayor, OC Transpo pleased with Pimisi Station during Bluesfest
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and OC Transpo say they've been pleased to see that there have been no significant issues at Pimisi Station after it was restricted on Canada Day for what authorities said were safety concerns.
Throughout Canada Day, access to Pimisi Station was limited at the behest of Ottawa police and Canadian Heritage officials. When asked why, Ottawa police said in a statement that the current design of Pimisi Station "does not facilitate the efficient handling of substantial crowds," adding that there are insufficient exits in the event of emergencies.
The station has a single platform to serve eastbound and westbound trains, and straddles the Booth Street Bridge. The upper floor, where bus travellers and pedestrians access the station, is small. Police said there was a medical issue on Canada Day in 2022 and that first responders were stymied by the station's design and the crowds.
Shania Twain attracted a record crowd of around 30,000 people to LeBreton Flats last Thursday, and OC Transpo encouraged attendees to make use of the nearby Pimisi Station, which was kept open both before and after the show.
CTV News Ottawa asked OC Transpo for approximate numbers of transit riders leaving LeBreton Flats via Pimisi Station on Friday. In a reply Tuesday, a statement attributed to Raouia Howarth, the city's acting director of transit customer systems and planning, said OC Transpo is pleased with how its service plan is operating during the festival.
"On the evening of Thursday, July 6, 11,700 attendees used Pimisi Station while travelling to Bluesfest," Howarth said.
More than 13,000 people used Pimisi Station when leaving the show, Howarth said, but overflow buses for westbound travellers were still required.
"When exiting the event, 9,000 customers used Pimisi Station and another 4,400 customers travelled westbound via bus," Howarth said.
Ottawa police told CTV News Ottawa over the weekend there were no significant events to report at Pimisi Station that night.
Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal on Tuesday, Sutcliffe said he believed Pimisi was handling the crowds well.
"I think it's probably better than it might have been portrayed when the story came out after Canada Day about concerns about the volume and what it can handle. I suspect it can probably handle more than people thought," he said.
He wouldn't comment on whether there was a flaw in the design of the station, but said he was open to improvements.
"I know there are discussions happening internally about what potential adjustments or improvements can be made to the station," he said. "We've got to make sure the system can handle a lot of traffic around major events and the evidence seems to suggest that it can."
Bluesfest continues until Sunday. Headline acts this week include Foo Fighters, Mumford and Sons, Charlotte Cardin and Pitbull.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.