Two women cycle on the bike path near Green's Creek, where the body of Ardeth Wood was found Monday. The NCC will reassign some of its 26 conservation officers, who patrol the commission's parks and trails, to some of the more remote pathways for added safety.
It's 8:15 Tuesday morning. The eastern section of the Ottawa River Pathway, normally alive at this hour with commuting bikers, joggers, inline skaters and power-walkers putting in their exercise before heat settles on the city, is deserted.
The National Capital Commission and Ottawa police are warning women not to travel the pathways alone or visit isolated areas. And most people, it seems, have heeded the caution.
This comes two days after the body of 27-year-old Ardeth Wood was discovered on the banks of Green's Creek, between the Rockcliffe Parkway and the Ottawa River.
While the western parts of the NCC's pathway near the Champlain Bridge bustled with people, only a few used the eastern path near where the body was discovered.
Fred Gravel, 69, usually passes about a dozen people during his daily walk along the eastern section of the pathway. Yesterday, he saw only two others, both men.
"There's usually quite a bit more people on pathways, but what can you do?" said Mr. Gravel, who walks about five kilometres daily. "Once they find the guy, it will come back to normal."
No one was seen walking along this portion of the path between Shefford Road and Green's Creek between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. yesterday.
The NCC said yesterday it will significantly increase the number of patrollers along the Ottawa River Pathway until the man suspected in the death of Ms. Wood is found.
"I'm an intense user of those pathways, and I always carry a cellphone," said Guy Laflamme, vice-president of communications for the NCC.
The NCC will reassign some of its 26 conservation officers, who patrol the commission's parks and trails, to some of the more remote pathways, Mr. Laflamme said. The conservation officers may also be expected to work longer hours.
The pathways, however, are not patrolled around-the-clock and at night large sections are completely unlit.
These parts remain dark, Mr. Laflamme said, so as not to disturb the natural environment of the 100 kilometres of Ottawa recreational trails.
NCC officials also plan to meet with police to decide on long-term measures that can be taken to make the trails and pathways safer.
Some residents, however, are already taking action.
In a letter to the Citizen, Barry Halliday proposed the creation of a volunteer safety patrol along the Ottawa River Pathway. Mr. Halliday, who travels the path from Hull to Orl�ans every day, suggested that teams of two could be equipped with radios, whistles and first aid kits to help people along the route.
"If I'm using it anyway, I have no problem dedicating another hour to patrolling it," Mr. Halliday told the Citizen yesterday.
The NCC currently uses two teams of 30 volunteers to patrol the trails in the west end and Outaouais areas of the region.
About 1.5 million people use the NCC pathways, generating 17 million trips annually, Mr. Laflamme said. "That's a lot of traffic," he said. "Lets hope this remains isolated."
Women travelling along the pathway yesterday said they will not feel comfortable until the suspect is found. For Karen Bohemier, the death of Ms. Wood hit close to home. Like Ms. Wood, Ms. Bohemier is 27 years old. She frequently ate her lunch by the river on the pathway, near Shefford Road, not far from where Ms. Wood's body was found.
"I won't come down here alone again," she said.
Delaine Pawlowski, 18, said she felt comfortable travelling the pathway alone before Ms. Wood's death. But that sense of freedom has been stolen.
"I feel like calling all of my friends and telling them not to go anywhere alone," said Ms. Pawlowski, who was riding her bike alongside her mother yesterday.
Meanwhile, the NCC's bike path near the Champlain Bridge bustled with people enjoying a hot summer day. The path, set in a more urban area and close to many government buildings, played host to inline skaters, cyclists, joggers and walkers.
Many near the bridge said they were concerned about the death of Ms. Wood, but nonetheless felt safe along the paths.
"I would go on them alone. I bike alone along here all the time -- just not at night," said Lisa Cockburn, 36. "The warnings from police won't deter me."
Here are some of the assaults on female riders that have taken place in recent years along Ottawa's bike paths:
April 2002: Six women are attacked within a week along the Hog's Back-Riverside
Drive corridor. In each instance, a man believed to be aged 25 to 35 grabbed the women as they walked or cycled along bicycle paths on the Rideau River.
May 2000: A woman was jogging along a path near Shefford Road in Gloucester when she was attacked by a man and struck repeatedly in the head with a rock. A 25-year-old man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
October 1999: A 37-year-old woman was attacked in broad daylight as she walked alone on a secluded trail near Kemptville. She was attacked from behind and sexually assaulted.
August 1999: An 18-year-old man was convicted of four assaults committed while he was inline skating along a bike path near Lees Avenue. The man was as young as 16 when he began fondling women and skating away.
July 1994: A 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on a bike path near the Hurdman transitway station. The man tied the girl's wrists behind her back, assaulted her, stole her money and tied her to a tree.
July 1993: A six-year-old boy was sexually assaulted while riding along an Orl�ans bike path with his father. A 22-year-old man was caught and charged. Earlier, the man, wearing only a shirt, had attacked two teenagers, who fought him off with their bicycle seats.
September 1992: A woman was walking on a bike path along the Rideau River near Hurdman Bridge at 8 a.m., when she was attacked and forced to the ground. A 19-year-old man, tackled by passersby, was charged with two counts of sexual assault.
June 1988: In a two-month period, nine women complained that a man, riding a bicycle, grabbed their breasts while passing them on his bicycle. One of the women chased him and knocked him off his bike. He ran away, leaving his bike, which police tracked to him.
- Police are looking for volunteers to canvass neighbourhoods with a sketch of a man they suspect is involved in the death of Ardeth Wood. Call 236-1222, ext. 3578.
- Anyone with information about Ms. Wood's death, or who saw suspicious behaviour along NCC trails or the Aviation Parkway, should call 236-1222, ext. 3563 or ext. 3564.
- A vigil to honour Ms. Wood will be held Friday at 5 p.m. on the Rockcliffe Parkway, west of the Green's Creek bridge. Call 762-4601 for information.
- The Citizen will accept cards of condolence on behalf of the Wood family, at our front desk or by mail, at 1101 Baxter Rd., Box 5020, Ottawa K2C 3M4.
Ran with fact boxes "Bike path assaults" and "How you can help", which have been appended to the story.
