Ottawa’s LeBreton Flats sees new design proposal
The National Capital Commission unveiled its master concept plan for LeBreton Flats in Ottawa last week.
The 24-hectare site has been the subject of several development proposals over the years. The most recent, which was led by a group called RendezVous LeBreton, dissolved earlier this year after two of the group’s partners—Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melynk and developer John Ruddy—engaged in a dispute over the development.
The NCC’s new plan for the site brings several elements of previous proposals back to the forefront, including thousands of residential units, offices and retail space, as well as the potential to bring back an arena for the National Hockey League team. Where it differs, however, is in its emphasis on public and green spaces.
After the failure of the RendezVous LeBreton proposal, the NCC returned to the drawing board for the site development plan. In June, it asked the public for its opinions on the future of the site. That input helped to shape the commission’s new guiding principles for the site. These include turning the site into an “ambitious new capital destination”, creating inclusive spaces, incorporating green infrastructure, building on access to the city’s light rail service, and achieving a zero-carbon community.
The site plan puts a particular emphasis on parks and open spaces. The western portion of the site, for example will feature a large and distinctive park. Tentatively known as Capital Park, it will provide the opportunity for a range of gathering places, recreational amenities and natural spaces. It would be located in an area where geotechnical conditions would make the construction of buildings difficult.
The NCC’s long-time goal has been to bring residential use back to LeBreton. The master plan document calls for the site to become “a thriving cultural hub with diverse housing options and amenities.” Some of the features proposed for the site include a central Aqueduct District, an entertainment district with boutique retail, cafés and restaurants, a Flats District that will be a pedestrian oriented, primarily residential neighbourhood, a Library District at the eastern end of the development and that will be located beside the future Library and Archives Canada and Ottawa Public Library joint facility, and a potential event centre near Albert and Preston streets that could be the site of a future arena for the Senators.
Finally, the plan calls for increased connectivity with a focus on creating a safe, walkable experience. For example, streets will be narrowed to slow vehicle traffic, the site will include 4.5 kilometres of pathways and trails, residential communities will be located within five minutes’ walk of light rail stations, and a grand staircase will connect Booth Street to the Aqueduct District.
The plan is now open for comment from stakeholders and the public. If that feedback proves positive, the NCC could issue a second RFP for the next phase of the project. But it’s clear that the development of the entire site is years, if not decades away.