Glebe Community Association warns of new traffic restrictions around Great Glebe Garage Sale

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Glebe braces for traffic gridlock

Gear up for the Great Glebe Garage Sale!

Thousands of bargain hunters will be in the Glebe this Saturday for the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale, but organizers are warning visitors to the neighbourhood to heed new traffic restrictions.

The annual event takes place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday all across the Glebe. This year, however, the Glebe Community Association says new traffic and parking restrictions have been imposed.

“Consider walking, cycling or taking the bus. If you drive, we recommend parking further afield,” the community association said in a news release.

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According to the Glebe Community Association, road closures will be in effect on Second and Fourth avenues between Lyon and O’Connor streets from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closures on Glebe, First and Third avenues may also be put in place reactively during that period, depending on traffic congestion.

Access to streets from Bank Street in either direction between Glebe and Fourth avenues will be closed; however, local traffic will still be able to access the area between Glebe and Fourth from Lyon and O’Connor, the community association says.

Parking and no-stopping restrictions will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. The following streets will be closed to visitor parking, although Glebe residents with residential parking permits may park as usual: Glebe, First, Second, Third and Fourth avenues between Lyon and O’Connor.

Glebe Community Association President John Crump says these restrictions were imposed without community consultation.

“We’ve, over the years, worked with the city’s traffic folks to have a plan to make things run smoothly. This year, we got frozen out for some reason, so we didn’t really have a say in how all of this is being set up,” Crump told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal on Wednesday.

“The argument is this is all being done for safety. Our counterargument is one, we’ve never really had a safety issue. People are generally very well behaved and understand you can’t go speeding down any of these streets. But also, we’ve got a lot of experience providing input to the city on various issues and we were quite perplexed.”

Crump said he’s concerned people might not be expecting the closures, which could actually make the area more chaotic.

Late Friday afternoon, Crump told CTV News that the city plans to meet with the organization on Saturday.

“We were happy today to get a message from city staff saying, ‘can we meet up tomorrow and do a little walk around to see how things are going?’ So that’s positive. But it would have been much more positive to actually sit down together at the beginning and sort of map things out,” he said.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the city said there were consultations with several groups ahead of the implementation of this year’s measures.

“The City of Ottawa recognizes the Great Glebe Garage Sale is a major community tradition that attracts residents and visitors from across the city and is committed to ensuring it is enjoyed safely,” said Heidi Cousineau, manager of Traffic, Safety and Mobility with Ottawa Public Works.

“Engagement included discussions with community representatives, the Ward Councillor’s office, the local Business Improvement Area, operational reviews, and ongoing feedback from residents and City partners. Key considerations, including impacts on residents, traffic flow, accessibility, parking, safety, and neighbourhood navigation, helped inform the operational plan.”

Cousineau said the measures will help reduce congestion, support emergency access, and improve safety.

“This approach reflects a balance between community input, event operations, accessibility, and public safety. Several components were adjusted this year in response to feedback received through consultation and follow-up discussions,” Cousineau said.

“The City recognizes the impacts large events can have on residents and remains committed to continuous improvement. Feedback from this year will help inform future planning and operational adjustments.”

Crump says he plans to take the issue up with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe after the Great Glebe Garage Sale is over.

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There will also be numerous road closures and traffic restrictions across downtown Ottawa on Saturday for the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.

In addition to being a major event for bargain hunters and sellers, the Great Glebe Garage Sale is also a fundraiser. Participants and vendors are encouraged to make a donation to the Ottawa Food Bank on Saturday.

“This is something we’ve been doing over the years and each year, as you know, the demand for support from the food bank increases,” Crump said. “So, have fun but also think about the people who are not having so much fun these days.”