Protests nix parole office move to Somerset Street

The Correctional Service of Canadahas decided againstSomerset Street as apossible location for its new parole office following complaints from thelocal community.

Neighbouring residents in Ottawa's Centretown and Hintonburg areas spoke out against the Somerset plan at a public consultation session Monday.

Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan called the location inappropriate when questioned in the House of Commons Tuesday.

Van Loan said he'd heard the residents of those communities "loud and clear."

But the decision to drop the Somerset location from consideration has left the residents who live near another possible location on Industrial Avenue wondering if anyone is listening to their concerns.

The correctional service's current parole office is located on Elgin Street, but the lease in that building expires in September.

Two locations had been under consideration one at 1010 Somerset St. and the other at 831 Industrial Ave.

Monday night, the correctional service heard from residents near the Somerset location. But when residents who live near Industrial Avenue showed up for their consultation session Tuesday night, they learned it had been cancelled.

"I just feel that a lot of these guys are being funnelled into our neighbourhood, and I'm upset,"said Catherine Shaw, who belongs to the Industrial-area neighbourhood.

She said she's worried that the Industrial site is now the only one left on the table.

"The bus route that would be required for these guys to come in and check in with parole officers is the bus route that our children use every day," she said.

But the small group of residents who came out for the session that was supposed to have been held at the Chimo Hotel on Joseph Cyr Street said they were pleased with the cancellation.

They said they can use the time to rally more people.

The correctional service would not say whether the parole office will now move to Industrial Avenue.

Itdid, however, say that the Public Works and Government Services Department is helpingto find a new location for the parole office before the lease runs out.