Safety - The contention is that "increased traffic on local streets has resulted in more accidents", and that the Parkway will make local streets safer for pedestrians and children riding bicycles. 
Rebuttal: Is that a fact? Are you aware of increased problems on local streets. What safety issues would the Parkway cause for students at St. Paul's elementary on Hilliard, which it would pass directly by?  And think of the hazards for St Peter's High School students, and the Kawartha Day-care Centre located there.

 

Cleaner air -   The contention is that stop signs and traffic lights on local streets cause air pollution with stop-start traffic. 
Rebuttal: The so-called Parkway would have at least 13 traffic lights on it; there will be lots of stop-start caused on a Parkway itself and on the streets with which it intersects.

 

Access to PRHC -  The contention is that "The Parkway will go directly to the Hospital, improving ambulance response times." 
Rebuttal: The main response time of importance for an ambulance is getting to the site of the call to stabilize the patient. Not all ambulances are stationed at the Hospital, but those that are would not predominately need a Parkway to access their calls. Those using the Parkway would experience a multi-turn route with multi-signalized intersections to contend with. There are many parts of the city with very indirect routes to the PRHC which would only be helped if they too could have a bee-line road built for them.

Another  contention is that "Police and fire-truck response time throughout the city will be faster". 
Rebuttal: Similar to above; as well, The Fire Department Chief has recently stated that lights at the intersections of the Parkway and Sherbrooke (and Weller,  presumably) may necessitate a new West-end fire station.

 

 Save Money -  Contention: Less wear and tear on local streets. 
Rebuttal: More wear and tear on a Parkway.

Contention: Fewer accidents reduce insurance claims and thence premiums, and free police for other work. 
Rebuttal: This is really stretching a point!  Also, more police would be required to patrol the additional speeders invited by the Parkway's open stretches.

Contention: It would "eliminate the need for costly widening of other streets .."
Rebuttal: The transportation plan has many other recommendations which need to be carried out whether the Parkway extension is built or not.

                       Contention: "We already own the Parkway land."  Rebuttal: It is a priceless treasure of unspoiled wilderness within the city. With development already surrounding it, it would be irreplaceable once it was paved over.

 

Bike Paths and Walking Trails -  Contention: "Citizens of all ages will enjoy biking and walking along the Parkway route right across the city [which] will link with other trails as well as the Trans-Canada Trail." 

Rebuttal: Comparing hiking, biking etc. along  Chemong Road and on the pristine quiet Parkway corridor,  the latter is the much more enjoyable experience.

 

Quality of life - Contention: the Parkway would make it safer to back out of your driveway and everyone would live on quieter streets where children could play safely.
Rebuttal: This a frivolous over-exaggeration of the first item labelled "Safety".

 

Jackson Park - Contention: "... [will] use the bridge on Parkhill Rd. instead of building a new bridge. Jackson Park will be preserved". Rebuttal: This will be achieved much more effectively by not building the Parkway. The additional traffic on Fairbairn and the new Parkhill Bridge (as well as the construction processes) will have similar affects on the Jackson Park experience, and along the length of the new route.  

 

Why not a Western Bypass? - Contention "...Trips from home to work, home to shop, home to school will not be helped by a bypass. A western bypass already exists with Lily Lake Road, Atchison Road and Brealey Drive."
Rebuttal:  For a lower cost, the Study of Alternatives found that improvements could be made to this route for less cost than extending the Parkway,  and provide 95% as much improvement as a Parkway in reducing congestion or delay throughout the transportation network at rush hour. The West Bypass alternative was also found to provide greater access to currently undeveloped areas than the Parkway extension. The 2002 Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update anticipates a  need for the western bypass in the future. The major roads agreement for the Heritage Park (Carnegie Lands area) Subdivision allows for an arterial connection to the bypass route, partially funded by the developer. This would minimize the use of Cumberland Ave., etc., by the new subdivision's residents while the Parkway would give them freedom to use existing neighbourhood streets to access the Portage Place area.

 

The Future - Contention: "...Our city forefathers of 50 years ago had great vision and set aside the Parkway lands for a road to manage traffic in the future. The future is now."  Rebuttal: The linear park formed by the parkway lands is now recognized as an irreplaceable treasure. The recent Study of Alternatives reveals that a Parkway extension using these lands is not a unique solution to increased traffic anticipated by the time Peterborough's population reaches 100,000 (projections from recent statistics suggest that this will be beyond the year 2021 which is quoted in the 2002 Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update).