The new Vendor Village in the ByWard Market, located in the shadow of the old Hudson's Bay building on George Street. Photo by Bruce Deachman /POSTMEDIA

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The Office of the United States Ambassador to Canada requested a July 4 flypast over Pete Hoekstra’s residence. He who undiplomatically criticizes our country. Then there’s the childish bully in the Oval Office … DND complied with this request and two RCAF fighter jets participated. While we are at it, why not kiss the a– of the horse who just s— in our garden?

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Hélène Doucet, Ottawa

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My Byward busking days are (regretfully) in the rear view mirror.

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What I learned in my decades of entertaining market patrons and children with my flute is that the very best vendors there are also some the the best people you would want to meet. I have friends among the straddlers still trying to ply their wares there. It was deeply disappointing to see in print and in media this past weekend how shabbily they have been treated in this latest fiasco of fickle ideas.
For shame….

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Thomas Brawn, former ByWard busker, Orleans

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If you have time, walk north from Rideau and Sussex and make a right on Murray to Dalhousie. Count the vacant stores. It’s ridiculous to install cargo containers when entire retail blocks appear to be abandoned.

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Pamela’s boutique (Disegno Fine Jewellery) at 100 Murray St. is one of the few still open. She’s seen neighbours close one by one. Pop-ups, art exhibits, anything that would at least populate the streets, instead of these silly BIA projects.

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Michael Bussière, Ottawa

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This echoes my experience as a former busker in the ByWard Market.

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Before the current administration took over, there were 17 busking spots in the market, four of which were significantly workable. Now there are three busking spots, none of which are workable, and all of the buskers with significant talent have moved on. The difference between workable and unworkable busking spots is subtle and requires an acute understanding of how pedestrian traffic flows around the spot. Changes to the busking spots were made without consulting anyone, and the current system has, for all practical purposes, made busking infeasible in the market.

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The same is true for market vendors, who are — for all practical purposes — now extinct in the market. And for flower vendors. Incompetent management and constant changes made without consultation have destroyed everything we once had.

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All of this happened after market administration was changed over to contracted services by a for-profit corporation. We need to switch back to the old system, where the ByWard Market administration was run by a city-run department. And now all that’s left is a bunch of mostly mediocre restaurants and bars with incredibly concentrated ownership.