Green ribbon tree

Residents of Wakefield have been fighting the extension of Highway 5 between Chelsea and Wakefield for almost 2 years. The extension threatens old-growth pines in Gatineau Park as well as Valley Drive (Wakefield) Spring. More than 3,000 local residents depend on the spring for their drinking water needs year round, while an additional 2,000 people use the spring seasonally.

All certificates have been approved, and the cutting of trees at Brown Lake will start any day now.

A5X, a growing group of citizens concerned with the impact of a 4-lane highway on the village of Wakefield and its environment, are urging people to contact Jean Charest and other politicians.

FAXING is faster than snail mail, and carries more weight than e-mail. Please fax your concerns to

Jean Charest’s office (FAX:418 643-3924 and/or 514 873-6769). A sample French and English is provided letter below or can be viewed at: http://www.a5x.org/do-something–faites-quelque-chose.html

If you don’t have access to a fax, please send an e-mail or call Jean Charest’s office:

Email via website: www.premier-ministre.gouv.qc.ca/premier-ministre/joindre-pm/courriel.asp
Tel: 418 643-5321 or 514 873-3411

The Council of Canadians has been following this issue since May 2010, http://canadians.org/blog/?s=%22highway+5%22. On February 20, 2011, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow spoke against the environmental destruction that would be caused by the highway at a public event in Wakefield.

To read more about this, visit: http://www.a5x.org/index.html or fllow A5X on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rethink-the-A5-Extension/335819006435905?sk=wall

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Envoyer des lettres/Send letters

S’il vous plaît envoyer des lettres comme dans l’exemple ci-dessous (si possible changé en vos propres mots un peu!) aux suivantes:

Please send letters like the example below (if possible changed to your own words somewhat!!) to the following:

Louis-Philippe Caron – [email protected]
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs – [email protected]
Marie Lemay – CEO National Capital Commission – [email protected]
Jacques Henry, Quebec Ministry of Transport – [email protected]
Mathieu Ravingnat, MP, Pontiac – [email protected]
Nycole Turmel, MP, Gatineau – [email protected]
Stéphanie Vallée, MNA, Gatineau – [email protected]

Modèle de lettre:

Objet: Prolongement de l’autoroute A5 à Wakefield, La Pêche

Cher *****,

Je fais partie d’un groupe de résidents de Wakefield qui tente de limiter l’impact des travaux de construction de l’autoroute A5 sur le parc de la Gatineau.

Le Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) a l’intention de commencer la construction de la prochaine phase de l’autoroute A5 à La Pêche en février 2012. Cela implique une coupe à blanc de 88 hectares de forêt ainsi que le dynamitage d’affleurements rocheux dans les sections du parc de la Gatineau et à l’extérieur du village de Wakefield pour une longueur de plus de 2 km.

Le MTQ n’a pas terminé la phase de l’autoroute A5 à Chelsea qui requiert au moins 8 autres mois avant d’être pavée et opérationnelle. Le fait de commencer à détruire le paysage prématurément à La Pêche ne fait que prolonger inutilement les perturbations nuisibles aux citoyens de la région, aux visiteurs du Parc de la Gatineau et à la faune à partir d’activités telles que le dynamitage, le bruit et la poussière provenant des équipements lourds et le détournement de la circulation sur la route 105 existante. Cela aura un impact économique négatif sur le tourisme et les activités de plein air dans la région.

Au nom des résidents de Wakefield, je demande à ce que votre bureau demande à la MTQ de terminer la phase de l’autoroute A5 dans la municipalité de Chelsea AVANT QUE la préparation du site ne soit autorisée à commencer à l’intérieur de la Municipalité de La Pêche.

En outre, nous demandons instamment qu’une re-conception de l’extension de l’autoroute soit envisagée. L’utilisation d’un plan datant de plus de 25 ans n’est pas acceptable. L’échangeur à double boucle qui est prévu près de l’intersection du chemin Valley Drive à Wakefield n’est pas appropriée (voir http://a5x.org).

Merci de porter une attention urgente à cette situation.

Cordialement,

 

Sample Letter:

Re: Staging of Chelsea and Lapeche Phases of Highway A5

Dear *****,

I am one of many Wakefield residents working to limit the impact of Highway A5 on Gatineau Park.

Quebec’s Transport Ministry intends to start construction of the LaPeche phase of Highway A5 in January-February 2012. This involves clear-cutting 88 hectares of forest and blasting rock outcrops in sections of Gatineau Park and outside Wakefield village for a length of over 2 km.

The MTQ has not completed the Chelsea phase of A5, which will take at least another 8 months before it is paved and operational. Starting to clear the landscape pre-maturely in La Pêche will prolong the over-all disruption to citizens and visitors to Gatineau Park from activities such as blasting, noise, dust, heavy equipment, and traffic disruptions on existing Hwy 105.

This would have an unnecessary negative economic impact on tourism and outdoor recreational activities in the area.

On behalf of concerned Wakefield residents, I request that your office order the MTQ to finish the A5 extension in the Municipality of Chelsea BEFORE site preparation is permitted to commence inside the Municipality of La Pêche.

Further, we strongly request a re-design of the extension. The use of a 25-year old plan that hasn’t even been seen in its entirety is not acceptable. The interchange which has been revealed for the top of Valley Drive in Wakefield in not appropriate (see http://a5x.org).

Thank you for your rapid attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Emma Lui - Fraser River

Emma Lui

Emma Lui is an activist, writer and researcher. She is a contributing editor with rabble.ca and a member of Cooperative Biblioterre. Emma is also the holistic health director for the Canadian Women...