LETTRE

Deschênes Ruins, understanding the data

 

Government decisions should always be driven by data. The ruins of the old dam at the Deschênes Rapids is no exception. A few years ago, when the City of Gatineau's Emergency Services approached the Ministry of Transportation about finding a solution to what was identified as a dangerous site, it did so by providing data on a number of incidents that occurred at the ruins and by asserting that Emergency Services would no longer respond to emergency calls on the site. The City's claim was that six deaths had occurred on the site of the ruins in the previous ten years, and that a number of additional non-fatal incidents were caused by the ruins. The Ministry's proposal to destroy what remains of the dam is based on the City's request and the incident data provided by the City.

However, many, including the Deschênes Residents' Association and the local City councillor, are now calling into question the validity of this data, suggesting that these incidents may not have happened at the ruins themselves but anywhere along the Rapids. This claim deserves further investigation. As such, after consulting Howard Powles, from the Residents' Association, I have formally requested that Mayor Pedneaud-Jobin release the data regarding every one of the incidents cited by Emergency Services, including the specific location where each incident happened. This will allow everyone to better understand whether or not there is a serious danger posed by the ruins, and whether any proposed solution would in fact result in a safer site.

From a heritage standpoint, there is no denying that the dam is an important part of the area's history. On this, the City has every authority to designate the ruins a  Heritage site. Regardless of their decision, I will continue to work with the proud people of Deschênes to improve safety at the Rapids, make the surroundings more accessible and interesting to tourists and highlight the history of the site.

André Fortin
MNA for Pontiac