City sidewalks, broken sidewalks 

Sidewalk on Broadway Street 

Photos: Isaac Jackman 

 

City sidewalks, broken sidewalks 

By Isaac Jackman 

 

Sidewalks are the arteries of the community. They provide access to parks, school and life outside. Sidewalks protect the pedestrian from the three-tonne hunk of metal going a little too fast down the road. They are the set piece of the Great Glebe Garage Sale and the student getting a late-night snack. From the special to the mundane usage of the humble sidewalk, it is hard to overstate the importance of it, and yet it crumbles before our eyes. 

After tripping over a broken paver for the 900th time, I thought “**** that’s annoying,” but my personal frustration is minor compared to the barrier that the broken pieces of concrete represent. For members in our community who use mobility devices or are older, a broken paver can make the trip to the grocery store or to work a struggle.  

I started taking photos of cracked, eroded and smashed pieces of pavement. Once I started noticing the damage around where I live, the slow decay of this critical piece of infrastructure across not only the Glebe but all of Ottawa became clear. Most of the broken pavement noted in my sample area had sprawling cracks which gave the sidewalk an uneven surface; some were more cracks and holes than solid concrete. As winter arrives, the problem gets worse. The cracks fill with water and freeze and expanding ice turns cracks into caverns. 

City employees do the best that they can to respond to reports of damaged sidewalks, but it’s an uphill battle. With limited resources, only so many broken sidewalks can be patched. These patches of asphalt are only temporary bandaids, especially for sections completely smashed. Many of the patch jobs have broken exactly where the original crack was; others were made even worse when the patch peeled off the concrete, exposing the crack and an additional change in height.  

Broken sidewalks are not an issue that we can afford to sideline, they are a hazard. It is not just an issue for those who don’t own a car; even drivers who get out of their car to shop or go to a coffee shop will intersect with a sidewalk at some point. The City of Ottawa 2023-2026 Strategic Plan says “a city that is more connected with reliable, safe and accessible mobility options” is one of four strategic priorities. In the City’s website, there is no emphasis on sidewalk construction nor the maintenance of existing sidewalks, aside from the “report a pothole” feature.  

One of the performance indicators for making Ottawa more accessible is the number of kilometres of sidewalks; what is not an indicator is the number of new or rebuilt sidewalks. A similar metric for roads being built or reconstructed to a speed limit of 30km/h does exist. The problem is hard to address when an indicator of rebuilt sidewalks is not included or catalogued. A general survey of Glebe residents’ satisfaction with the state of the sidewalks could bring additional insight into what our neighbours think. 

Sidewalk restoration must encompass all areas where it is needed, extending beyond sidewalks along main roads. Side streets must also receive adequate maintenance. Without a whole city approach, areas will become less accessible to residents and community members; the goal of achieving “a city that is more connected with reliable, safe and accessible mobility options” will be a pipe dream. 

With the end of 2024 rapidly approaching, many challenges face the citizens of Ottawa, and our sidewalks may be an afterthought. I do not pretend that a broken curb is our number one issue as a city, but it is a pressing issue nonetheless. 

 

Isaac Jackman is a student at Carleton University and a long-time Ottawa resident. 

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