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Ariel Troster

@arieltroster.com

6.5K followers 3.1K following 1.9K posts

City Councillor for #SomersetWard in Ottawa. Queer Jew. A better city is possible. Let’s build it together. 🏳️‍🌈

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 4d

The latest issue of the Somerset Ward newsletter is out, with updates on Street Seats, the housing acceleration plan, Ottawa’s skateboarding strategy, and more!

Read it and sign up here:
www.arieltroster.com/swm_58

Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 7h

The news report was wrong, it is basically two car lengths on Bronson and the lights will be sequenced so bikes will proceed with all traffic stopped and no cars in the lane. It is basically just a little zig zag. I just clarified this today with staff.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 8h

Those designations go way back. That said, Gladstone is being removed as an official truck route, which is a major win.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 10h

To turn this bike lane into a $40 million project would take a majority of council and frankly, would not pass. That is a political fault in the current composition of council and its priorities, not staff being uncreative.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 10h

“Expropriating a bit of property” is not a simple action. It takes years. Also: the gas station land is all considered toxic and would be $25 million or so liability. I know because I tried to get the city to buy the vacant lot across from the gas station (that used to be another gas station).

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 14h

It is, I am working to fix this

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 15h

My attitude as a politician is that we will never agree on everything, but you have a right to understand the process and my thinking.

Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 15h

In particular, the active transportation planners at the city are all cyclists! They ride in the same streets as all of us and absolutely have a personal stake in making things better.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 15h

City staff work with the resources they are given by council. There are several of us councillors who constantly advocate for more resources and are often outvoted. We work with staff within the limitations they are given. They are incredibly dedicated to finding solutions + serving the community.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 15h

I have to say, I get my back up when people respond to me on here and suggest that city staff are lying or incompetent. You may disagree with their analysis, but please do not attempt to undermine their integrity.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 17h

There is no BIA on Gladstone and we are removing quite a lot of parking. The technical challenges have to do with ensuring the bus doesn’t get delayed.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 20h

I am glad the community is rallying to make the Gladstone/Gilmour bike lane as safe as possible. I will be channeling the feedback and advocacy to try and find some solutions with city staff. The file doesn’t go to council till January, so we have some time.

ottawacitizen.com/news/new-cen...

Why will this new Centretown bike lane have a detour?

While a downtown Ottawa bikeway along the corridor has been a long time coming, cyclists say a proposed route isn't the safest way.

ottawacitizen.com

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 1d

Sick burn. Respect.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 1d

She is now deep into her phone, but it’s mostly group calls and texts with her theatre friends to plan their next production. No social media allowed.

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 1d

My 13 yr old kid requested a record player and is enjoying listening to vinyl! We also gave her an old hand me down MP3 player to listen to music on before bed that is not on a phone (which is not allowed to be plugged in in her room at night).

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Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 1d

Lessons learned from TO and Montreal: you need to treat bike share as a public service and invest in it. A private for-profit model doesn’t work. Ottawa is way behind on this, but I am looking forward to working with @shawnmenard.bsky.social, @seandevine9.bsky.social and others to make it happen.

Jason Thorne @jasonthorne.bsky.social · 1d

“How Bike Share went from death’s door to one of Toronto’s fastest-growing ways to travel” in the Toronto Star www.thestar.com/news/gta/how...

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Reposted by Ariel Troster

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 3d

It’s pronounced cyclist.