Waterfront development on Ottawa's horizon?

I'm having some mixed emotions this morning. Over the past few days I was thinking about an outline for a firy article about Ottawa's lack of waterfront development. It was supposed to be called, "Waterfront development not on Ottawa's horizon".

The reason I was writing the article was because I saw the community design plan for the area around the future Bayview LRT station. In the picture below you'll see the land uses for the area. The blue area shows that this prime waterfront land is to be "Major Open Space". The video for the plan talked about "preserving the natural environment" which means a whole bunch of empty greenspace. No place to shop, eat or have a drink.

I was then going to criticize the overall attitude towards waterfront development in this city, particularly that of the NCC. I was going to say that when I go back to Toronto I usually head towards the waterfront because we have no waterfront development in Ottawa. The article would've been filled with sarcastic comments and what I thought would be beautiful punch lines.

I would've quoted some articles from Project for Public Spaces (PPS) about waterfront development and show that the direction the NCC is taking is wrong.

I was going to show a picture of the Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas and ask why the Rideau Canal couldn't have just a little development so it could become a shopping, dining and general hang out destination.

Then I would've woke up today and read the lattest blog post by the Ottawa Citizen's David Reevely and felt completely stupid.

So the NCC wants to add some gusto to the shores of the Rideau Canal. They haven't exactly said they'll be development, but hats off to them for waking up and smelling the coffee. I'm upset that my firy blog post and beautiful punch lines will have to be put back on the shelf, but I'm happy the NCC is at least taking a small step in the right direction.

David Reevely was right in saying, "they’re casting a wide net. You never know what you’re going to get back. On the other hand, it’s so wide that it’s pretty hard to figure out what the NCC might possibly consider desirable. A lemonade stand? Actors playing John By’s work crews, telling passersby about their malaria? A skateboarding competition?"

Seeing that the proposals have to be implemented by the Summer of 2012 I doubt we'll be seeing any restaurants or shops. They used some strong NCC language like asking for proposals, actually "pilot projects", that will "enhance the Capital Experience" so we may be seeing a lot of stuff that appeals to all Canadians. Perhaps they'll dump a bunch of lobsters and cod in the canal so people from the Maritimes will feel at home in Ottawa. Only time will tell.

Kevin Bourne
reinventingottawa.blogspot.com

Skateway shacks would make nice water taxi stations

Today a lot of people are talking about the new chalets for the Rideau Canal Skateway. At $750,000 are they took expensive? Are they necessary?

Personally I think those shacks would make amazing stations for a water taxi service in Spring, Summer and Fall. Having a year-round use would make $750K easier to accept for a lot of people.

Reusing the chalets for a water taxi service would also eliminate part of the expense of getting such a service off the ground.

Winter chalets doubling as Spring, Summer and Fall water taxi stations? Just a thought.

Kevin Bourne
reinventingottawa.blogspot.com

Building vibrant places on Ottawa's waterfront

One of my favourite subjects to read about nower days is Urban Planning, particularly Placemaking.  One of the most trusted voices on the subject of placemaking is Project for Public Spaces, also known as PPS.  They are the firm behind New York's Times Square being transformed into a pedestrian friendly place. 

There is a growing global trend towards building public places around people which has big implications on vibrancy, economic development, and social interaction.  As I've written before, I have a deep love for old European cities.  I read about urban planning in the Roman Empire and sometimes look at pictures of old European squares.  While I would consider myself to be progressive, I wonder if cities will ever return to the days where people met in the city square for hours, talked and shared a coffee. 

Within placemaking I've developed a fondness for waterfront development.  In my opinion, the waterfront should be one of the most vibrant places in a city.  Before reading PPS' articles on waterfront placemaking I didn't realize how many cities were getting it wrong.  Building a vibrant waterfront is an art.  Unfortunately, Canada's capital city, and my home, is one of those cities that seems to be getting it wrong at the moment. 
PPS's articles "9 Steps to Creating a Great Waterfront", "Great Waterfronts of the World", "10 Qualities of a Great Waterfront Destination" and "Mistakes by the Lake, River or Sea" provide us with some insight into building a successful or failing waterfront.  How does Ottawa measure up to PPS's waterfront placemaking principles?

Ottawa's waterfronts in need of some TLC

If you've read my articles before you know that a bit over a year ago I moved from Toronto to Ottawa with my wife.  I'm so in love with Ottawa there's not much I miss about my former life in arguably Canada's most vibrant city; except for four things.  Yorkdale Shopping Centre, The Eaton Centre, Yorkville and the waterfront.

I've spent the past few days researching waterfronts around the world, as well as National Capital Commission documents to find out their plans for the waterfronts in the capital region and why their definition of waterfront always seems to include parks and green space.  To be honest, I'm starting to get fed up with green space; we need more of a balance between green and urban spaces.  I stumbled onto the NCC's plans to revitalize the Gatineau waterfront, including the Scott Paper factory next to the Museum of Civilization.  Not to my surprise the whole plan for the waterfront is a park.  More green space.

Walking along the Rideau Canal you can count on one hand the number of places you can sit down and have a coffee with friends.  I believe there are exactly three restaurants between the National Arts Centre and Dows Lake; the rest is green space owned by Parks Canada or the NCC.  Along the Ottawa River I have yet to see one restaurant, shop or cafe.

As I spent the past few days scratching my head at the waterfront development model of our city, I found that two Ottawa Citizen writers, David Watson and Mark Sutcliffe, were thinking the same thing.