So, now what? Maybe a sign is not the answer. Maybe the NCC has too much shoreline, too many waterways, to properly warn people about dangers. And maybe discouraging fishing or swimming in the right spot is the wrong thing to do. Its a free country; nobody owns the river.

But I expected to find some kind of generic warning when I toured the island on a sombre Tuesday afternoon. (Does the NCC not tell you how fast to pedal on the bike path?) Only spotted marauding geese and squawking gulls, resting ducks with their heads tucked in, ecstatic black squirrels and giant maple trees, a stray bobber.

It is a sweet spot. From the east end of the island, there are views of Parliament Hill and downtown. For anyone stuck in an apartment in the west end, it is a quiet escape into feathers and sticks, below the grime of the city.

Attached to a fence on the north side (popular with whitewater paddlers) is a lifebuoy and a plaque that reads: In memory of all those taken by this river. Emergencies only PLEASE replace after rescue.

The river did it. The river took them, you see. Took all of them.

So, maybe a sign does nothing. (The NCC offers condolences to the friends and families but says it needs more information before deciding whether change in usage or access is required.)

But think of what the pandemic has done to our summer. Recreation patterns are disrupted, with trips cancelled, Britannia Beach closed, with the hottest July since Granddad was a pup, cooped-up people are venturing to new places along the river.

See the original post:

Egan: Two more die near NCC island. And we do nothing? - Ottawa Citizen