Ottawa city council OK's mountain bike park on former Carlington ski hill

Ottawa city council has approved a plan put forward by the Ottawa Mountain Bike Association to build a track and skills area on a former ski hill in Carlington Park.

The city will not contribute any money to the project, but it will monitor the volunteer group's progress as it builds the dirt track and jumps, and will help maintain the site, staff said.

The City of Ottawa has received many proposals over the years for the former ski hill, including pitches for water slides and winter tubing, said Dan Chénier, general manager of parks and recreation.

But the city has always steered away from developing the hill, he said.

Asked about residents' concerns for at-risk species that can be found in Carlington Park, staff assured councillors that the mountain bike park would not affect the animals.

Even Coun. David Chernushenko, an expert in the environmental impacts of sports facilities, supported the park proposal, saying the mountain bike community once had a reputation for being "yahoos" when it came to sustainability, but has come a long way.

Residents remain divided

However the proposal has divided residents of the surrounding neighbourhood.

The Carlington Community Association told a city committee last week that a vote taken at its annual meeting showed most residents support the mountain bike proposal.

But other residents have shown up at city hall wearing "Save the Hill" T-shirts, and have been speaking out about the impacts they believe the mountain bikers will have on traffic and the environment.

They also say the city should have consulted more widely before approving the proposal.

Only councillors Keith Egli and Rick Chiarelli dissented when council approved the project Wednesday..