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“When visitors come to the national capital, (Sparks Street) doesn’t make their Top 10 list,” Plamondon said. “I call (Wellington Street) a place of pride and gathering. Its clear identity would be to frame our most important national institutions … What you feel is the essence of Canada.”

Wellington Street boasts heritage sites such as the Supreme Court of Canada and Parliament Hill, he noted.

“You have all these great buildings … and what’s on Wellington Street right now? Trucks, busses, cars, bus shelters with advertising. You don’t get the essence (of Canada),” he said.

Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill.

According to Plamondon, by reopening Sparks Street to vehicles and closing off Wellington Street as a pedestrian mall, residents and tourists alike will be able to visit and absorb what the nation’s capital is truly about.

As of Tuesday afternoon, his petition has garnered more than 400 signatures, despite receiving only minimal promotion from Plamondon.

“The petition is just to show to the community and to the decision-makers that there’s public support for this idea and it’s worth them doing an assessment about the feasibility of this,” Plamondon said.

There’s no love lost between Plamondon and Sparks Street. Alongside the petition, he wrote an op-ed published in this newspaper pitching his Wellington National Mall idea. He created Facebook and Twitter pages. He started a website. And he’s spoken with architects such as Barry Padolsky and former Liberal MPP Yasir Naqvi. Soon, he said he’s meeting with Mayor Jim Watson to discuss Wellington Street, among other things.