Ottawa

NCC to open roads for recreational use this weekend

The National Capital Commission is making more outdoor recreational space for Ottawans this weekend along the Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir George-Étienne Cartier parkways.

Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir George-Étienne Cartier parkways partially open

People walk side-by-side along the Queen Elizabeth Driveway in Ottawa.
People walk along the Queen Elizabeth Driveway in Ottawa April 18, 2020, after it was closed to motor vehicle traffic to allow people to get outdoors safely. More NCC parkways are becoming pedestrian spaces this weekend. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is making more space along Ottawa parkways available for people to exercise on this weekend.

The decision to close some lanes to motor vehicles over the weekend comes as the province imposed a stay-at-home order this week, the NCC said in a news release Friday. It also cites unseasonably warm weather, with a high of 22 C on Saturday and 18 C on Sunday for the nation's capital.

Both westbound lanes of the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway will open for active use from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., south of the Ottawa River from Booth Street to Carling Avenue.

Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway will open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for residents to use between Aviation Parkway and St. Joseph Boulevard in Orléans.

About three kilometres of Queen Elizabeth Driveway remains open for active use from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends from Fifth Avenue to Somerset Street.

The NCC says it will share more information later this month on parkways opening for active use for the warmer months, including plans for Gatineau Park parkways.

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