The process has officially begun for LeBreton Flats to be transformed into a “world class” development for the City of Ottawa.
The National Capital Commission is currently reviewing five proposals for the possible development of roughly nine hectares of land in the downtown “field of dreams,” as it’s known. Two of the five will be approved in March for further study.
Currently, the land sits untouched, waiting for a decision to be made.
The NCC is keeping quiet as to the identity of the five applicants to ensure that the process is fair, says Mario Tremblay, a spokesperson for the NCC. The only confirmed proposal so far is the Ottawa Senators hockey club, which publicly put forward its bid for a new downtown stadium at the LeBreton Flats site.
Many Ottawa residents took to Twitter after the announcement, praising the Senators for the proposal and urging its acceptance by the NCC.
As to what else could be built at LeBreton Flats, there are only rumours or unofficial suggestions, ranging from more condos to an outdoor amphitheatre.
At the time of the municipal elections in October, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson also discussed the possibility of building a new central library for the city on LeBreton Flats. Since then, there have been no further developments about that idea.
There have also been expressions of support for the idea of making LeBreton Flats the new home for the Canada Science and Technology Museum, currently closed due to a mould problem. The Canadian government has since committed $80 million to renovating the current building instead.
What could potentially be a determining factor is the cost of whatever is being built.
One of the drawbacks of a new arena would be the price tag, says Ian Lee, an assistant professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University. The average cost for a new sports arena is around half a billion dollars, he says.
In comparison, building more housing on LeBreton Flats would cost the city less and earn greater tax revenues for the city.
LeBreton Flats already has a completed development of several condos east of the area where the NCC is now looking to develop.
Lee says that condos and high rises are one of the most profitable things a municipality can build due to earnings from property taxes. He explains that due to the structure of municipal tax systems the only way a city can make money through new buildings is if the buildings are private and not public, such as a library.
The construction of major sports facility often involves significant inputs from taxpayers.
However, the community wants “a significant public component to anything that’s built,” says Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney, whose ward includes LeBreton Flats.
In particular, she says, affordable housing and green space are needed in the area. “We do not have near the amount of green space that is required,” says McKenney.
McKenney adds that the community wants public institutions as opposed to major commercial development, such as that built at the recently redeveloped Lansdowne Park.
However, the City of Ottawa will have less control over the new “world class” site at LeBreton Flats as the NCC is in charge of the redevelopment.