"We Must Find Work for the Workmen"

I have no idea what I expect to accomplish with this little experiment, if anyone is going to read it, but it is at least place I can organize what I learn. There aren't many readily available resources for Canadian public transit skeptics, unlike in the US. Unfortunately, what I see going on in Ottawa parallels the worst examples of planning driven by irrational dogma and fads from the US.

On Monday the Ottawa Citizen reported that the City of Ottawa is trying to pitch it's downtown light rail project based on the jobs created during it's construction("Light-rail project worth $1.4B to city" Feb 28 2005) :

Ottawa's north-south commuter rail project will create about $1.44 billion in business activity during it's construction in what is likely to be the largest economic generator in the city's history.

That's how I decided on the name of this blog. Interestingly, later in the article, Régean Chartrand, strategic projects director for the City of Ottawa indicates one of the real reasons for the project:

"This creates the image of a vibrant, dynamic city."

In other words, trains are "cool." Hey I think Blue Rodeo are cool, that doesn't mean I think the taxpayers should pay Jim Cuddy to be my chauffeur. It would likely be more economical, however.