NCC hoping 2017 path improvements will hold up

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is hopeful improvements made to its Ottawa River pathway system after severe flooding in 2017 will minimize damage this year.

Mathieu Brisson, the NCC managerresponsible for the pathways, said the modifications made two years ago were extensive.

"What we did was we stripped the sub-base, we stripped the asphalt, we rebuilt everything to higher standards including the shoreline," Brisson says.

The improvements included adding "rip-rap" large stones used as a breakwater to prevent waves from striking the pathway.

The aim is to be able to clean up and reopen the paths quickly once the water recedes.

NCC paths on the Gatineau side of the river were still being repaired when the water began to rise this spring. It's too early to predict how the current flooding will affect that work, Brisson said.

Brisson warned any debris washed down the river could still do significant damage despite the improvements.

The NCC is warning people to stay off the pathways, which are considered dangerous.

"We're equipped with barricades and signage, we're putting posts on social media basically, we're just adapting our closures as we go. Our priority is public safety at all times," Brissonsaid.