Chaudière Falls, one of the city’s most historic landmarks and most sacred aboriginal sites, has been at the centre of construction activity to make room for Hydro Ottawa’s newest green project.
The area in and around the Ottawa River waterfall is being excavated to accommodate four new hydroelectric turbines. By 2017, the $150-million plant will supply the provincial grid and help to power 20,000 homes a year.
The Chaudière Falls facility will contribute to a clean, modern and reliable electricity system while not obstructing a view of the once-spectacular falls, as the facility is being built underground, according to Jordan Owens, a spokesperson for the Minister of Energy.
“The new site will offer safe viewing platforms and greater public access in the form of a defined corridor on the roof of the new below-grade hydro facility,” Owens said in an email.
The power company will be building three viewing platforms at Chaudière Falls, which have been largely inaccessible to the public for almost a century.
Owens said the expansion project is a three-fold initiative to produce renewable energy in a responsible way, be an enjoyable public space, and serve as a place of recognition and celebration of Canada’s First Nations, as well as Ottawa’s industrialist past.
“The federal and provincial governments worked collaboratively with Aboriginal communities that may be adversely impacted by the facility to ensure their concerns and issues were addressed,” says Owens.
Prior to starting construction, Hydro Ottawa says it met the consultation requirements of federal, provincial and municipal agencies.
They collaborated with First Nations communities in Talking Circles to present site plans and gain feedback, it says.
This project is separate from the Windmill condo development on the islands, which is also in close proximity to the falls.
Consultation is still ongoing to assure they continue to meet and address the interests of the First Nations communities related to the project, according to Hydro Ottawa spokesman Daniel Séguin.
Hydro Ottawa has also signed a memorandum-of-understanding to create and provide local jobs and training opportunities. This is being looked at as a long-term partnership with the Algonquins of Ontario.
Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, an Ottawa-area MPP, views the expansion as an important addition to the community by providing clean energy and a new public space for residents to come together.
“I applaud Hydro Ottawa for their vision, and look forward to the benefits our community receives from this project,” says Chiarelli.
The station was previously completely renovated in 2001, but all heritage elements were preserved.
During this expansion, the falls will maintain elements of the city’s industrial past by refurbishing two of the site’s oldest buildings that survived the great fire of 1900.
The new station is expected to have a “useful life” of 20 to 30 years before it is in need of further upgrades; if the assets are well maintained, their lifespan is unlimited, Hydro Ottawa says.
While Hydro Ottawa touts the new as a benefit for the area and the community, some critics, such as members of the Free the Falls organization, view the construction differently.
Peter Stockdale, who is spearheading the movement, says it’s a terrible idea to dig into Chaudière Island to build these turbines just to continue with what he describes as hydro industrialism.
He said that from an aboriginal perspective, it is like Hydro Ottawa is saying: “I’m sorry what we want, we settlers, is more important than what you want, which is your 5,000-year-old sacred site.”
Free the Falls has been campaigning, taking pictures of the progress, bringing it to the attention of the public media and T-shirts.
“We haven’t really had an easy way of getting at the issue,” says Stockdale.
He also said Hydro Ottawa is being “less than transparent” with critics when it comes to keeping them up to date.
“I think the most powerful influence right now is the desire of the Algonquin to respect their sacred area,” said Stockdale.
Algonquin Elder Albert Dumont wrote a blog post regarding the sacred falls. In it he says that a place at the falls should be provided where the Algonquins can go and offer tobacco and prayer for the health and well being of the river.