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This is why so many people hate the ByWard Market District Authority | Opinion

Bruce Deachman: According to many ByWard Market stakeholders, the group implementing changes in the area needs to consult them more.

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It’s rare to find retailers, residents, property owners and a city councillor agreeing on much when it comes to the ByWard Market. Yet after speaking with people in the area in recent weeks, I keep hearing a similar complaint: they don’t have a meaningful voice in decisions shaping the Market’s future.

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It’s been three years since Ottawa Markets and the ByWard Market BIA were folded into the ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA). One of the roles of the organization is to be a bridge between businesses and the city. As the Market prepares to celebrate its 200th anniversary next year, it’s worth asking whether the BMDA’s governance itself deserves another look.

The latest controversy centred on the decision to eliminate through-traffic on ByWard Market Square for more than two weeks surrounding Canada Day — one of the busiest times of the year for merchants — as it prepared the area for three months of pedestrianization and street “activation.”

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Some oppose the plan itself, arguing that removing parking spaces,........

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