Canada Day 2017 in Ottawa

[lrt's friend]

The issues were broadcast on radio all day, and with the off and on rain, I am sure thousands were discouraged from going downtown. I personally couldn't face the line-ups for buses and entry and the mud.

My cousin was a vendor and she forewarned all of us at a family gathering in the last week about access to food and refreshments being outside the secure perimeter. I could not imagine how awkward it would be and how difficult it would be to move around downtown even on foot.

Can you imagine if this had been a nice day and tens of thousands more had decided to go downtown?

I predicted just in the last couple of days that Sunday Service was not appropriate for such a big event and it was mentioned on radio that people were waiting for over an hour for a bus with massive line-ups at Park n Ride lots and full buses not able to pick up passengers in inner parts of the city. When planning such things, it is always best to offer too much service. If the city budget can't handle it, make people pay inbound so there is some revenue to cover the cost rather than skimping on service.