With another capacity crowd turning out Wednesday evening to view video presentations of the possible redevelopment of LeBreton Flats, NCC officials were “thrilled” at the “enormous” interest of Ottawans in the national capital’s future.
“There’s enormous interest in (the future of LeBreton Flats), and that’s encouraging,” National Capital Commission chairman Russell Mills said on the second of three nights for the public to consider the two competing proposals.
“I think people know how important this is to the future of Ottawa,” he added. “There’s this big, huge tract of land that’s been sitting empty for 50 years and this is really the first opportunity to build something and change the core of the city.”
NCC chief executive Mark Kristmanson echoed the sentiment as some 600-700 people arrived at the Canadian War Museum to view the developers’ displays and hear their pitches. “I think people have been waiting for something big like this to come along … to make this a great city,” he said.
While there’s been incremental efforts to redevelop LeBreton Flats since the 1960s — the War Museum, condominiums, decontaminating the soil — the arrival of LRT has made full-scale redevelopment more feasible, he said, referring to the three-day viewing as “probably the finest consultation we’ve done and the greatest public response we’ve had. We’re thrilled.”
“I have feeling these nights will be looked back on as a historic occasion,” said Kristmanson.
The developers themselves — the RendezVous LeBreton group, backed by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, with its IllumiNation project, and Devcore, Canderel and DLS Group, with its LeBreton Re-Imagined project — weren’t shy about picking up on the history theme, casting their respective projects as historic game-changes in terms of Ottawa’s development.
“We’re creating a new capital,” said RendezVous architect Barry Hobin.
Devcore vice-president Daniel Peritz cast his group’s project as having “national significance” and reflective of a “distinctive Canadian soul.”
Members of the public, meanwhile, focused on more down-to-earth concerns.
“I highlighted the bicycle accessibility and the bike paths,” said area resident Beth Platts as she filled out questionnaires about her reactions to the proposals.
She preferred the RendezVous LeBreton design. “I liked that they were going to revamp the aqueduct — I thought that was cool — and (liked) the Abilities Centre,” a multi-purpose sports centre that would include those with disabilities.
John Barclay also liked the RendezVous design, saying it did a better job of showing the overview of the whole site. However, he didn’t like the RendezVous highrise residential development, which he feels overshadows Victoria Island and the Algonquin encampment.
Devcore’s highrise proposals are better because they are on the “city side” and don’t obscure the river view, he said.
Eric Blyth thought both projects have elements of merit. “The library on the Devcore is nice-looking. On the RendezVous plan I like how they cover the O-Train. I wish we could pick the best of both worlds.”
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