Pimisi LRT station not built for substantial crowds, Ottawa police say

The Ottawa Police Service says the reason Pimisi Station was restricted on Canada Day is because of the station's design and its inability to handle crowds.

The Ottawa Police Service says the reason Pimisi Station was restricted on Canada Day is because of the station's design and its inability to handle crowds.

Questions have been raised about the Ottawa LRT station closest to LeBreton Flats after OC Transpo said it made the decision to restrict access on Canada Day at the behest of police and Canadian Heritage officials.

People heading to LeBreton Flats to watch the fireworks could not get off the train at Pimisi Station between 8 and 10 p.m. OC Transpo encouraged travellers to disembark at Lyon Station and walk.

In a lengthy statement to CTV News Ottawa, Ottawa police said the decision to close Pimisi Station on the evening of July 1 ahead of the fireworks show was made in collaboration with Canadian Heritage, OC Transpo and a crowd management consultant, who police say raised concerns about overcrowding on Booth Street during last year's Canada Day events.

"The current design of Pimisi Station does not facilitate the efficient handling of substantial crowds. Pimisi Station, which is situated on a lengthy bridge, is lacking with alternative escape routes for emergencies," the statement said.

Police said there was a medical emergency on Canada Day in 2022 at Pimisi Station and the safety of the people on the bridge, including the distressed individual and the first responders, was compromised because of the station's design.