By Kristy Moffitt
Centretown residents voiced their concerns about the absence of federal office space, lack of transportation strategies and the secrecy of the NCC planning process in the NCC’s plan for the downtown core.
On March 29, the NCC held a public consultation for the final stage of its planning process. About 150 people attended. The principle planners from the NCC were also in attendance to answer any questions the public may have had, and they had many.
The Core Area Sector Plan is the lead policy document governing the planning and development of federal lands in the core area over the next 20 years.
“This plan will enable you to dream a little about the future of Canada’s capital core,” says Francois Lapointe, one of the many people working on the NCC’s development plan.
A major proposal of the plan includes more cultural sites to commemorate the country’s art and culture. A proposed example of this would be a commemoration path along the Rideau Canal, and another cultural centre at Lebreton Flats and Victoria Island.
Another major proposal of the project is the completion of an interpretive path linking the parliamentary precinct with the Supreme Court and Judicial precincts.
The enhancement of Confederation Boulevard, including more landscape components, increased public land use and better access to the Ottawa River is also a priority.
David Gladstone, a Centretown resident, is concerned that federal and municipal office space is being left out of the core vision. He voiced his concerns that NCC planners were forgetting that Ottawa’s core still needs to reflect that of a functioning city, and not just an outdoor museum.
“Where is the rest of the picture? Ottawa is more than just a great outdoor museum. It’s the throbbing heart of a city. I see no reflection here of the economic core,” says Gladstone.
NCC planner Pierre Dubé is confident, however, that the core area plan allows for federal and office space and local businesses. He stresses that they are an important part of Canada’s capital core.
“We didn’t forget about the workers. We really have made an effort to look at the federal reality versus the civic reality of a working capital,” says Dubé.
Many citizens voiced concerns about the openness of the NCC’s planning process. John Scholer, former manager of Sparks Street Mall, encouraged more public consultation.
“More emphasis should be put on the 2025 plan in order to keep people’s attention. The body should meet openly, and regularly. There is no end of things to do. They could be meeting all day, every day,” says Scholer.
Transportation was another major issue that residents had with the plan.
“In my mind the crux of the plan seems to be missing. I don’t see how you plan to get all of these people into the core area,” says Irma Goodin, another concerned Centretown resident.
Goodin says she believes if the NCC really wants to provide leadership in the downtown core, then they need to connect the two sides of the river by light rail.
Lapointe agreed that transportation into the core area was an issue, but admits they lack the resources needed.
“We know the two sides of the river need to be integrated, and we know all those buses downtown don’t make sense. But right now we just don’t have the funding,” says Lapointe.
The NCC prepared the plan on behalf of the federal government. This part of the plan represents the final stage in a three phase planning process; the first two phases were released in 1998 and 2000.
The next step will be concrete planning and implementation. This will take place gradually over the next 50 years, with an end date of 2067, when Canada enters its third century.