Centretown residents are concerned a controversial screen to be installed on the Ottawa Convention Centre will have a negative impact on the visual experience along the Rideau Canal, says Rob Dekker, vice-president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association.
“People want to enjoy the canal and don’t want to watch TV while they’re skating,” he says.
Dekker says the cultural heritage of the canal must be preserved.
An official at the convention centre has refused to comment because the project is still in the evaluation process.
However, Jim Durrell, the convention centre chair, told local media that the screen could actually add to the canal’s heritage value.
Nevertheless, the general consensus among residents is that the screen doesn’t reflect what they want the downtown core to look like, claims Dekker. They are also worried about the safety hazard for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers because it could cause distraction, he says.
The National Capital Commission has approved the installation of the screen as part of a three- year pilot project.
The screen would be placed on the south wall of the convention centre, just east of the canal. It would have three displays; the first would be 9.7 by 9.7 metres, the second 9.7 by 13.3 metres, and the third 17 by 4 metres. In total, the three displays would cover an area of more than 279 square metres. The screen is slated to show artwork from galleries as well as advertisements.
However, it is still lacking approval from city council.
The city is already running its own two-year pilot project to determine the impact of digital signs. It has placed screens on Carling Avenue, St. Laurent Boulevard and Carp Road.
The goal is to review the existing sign bylaw to allow certain types of digital signs, while maintaining restrictions on their location and hours of operation. The city is currently holding public consultations on digital signs.
A report with citizen feedback will be presented to the planning committee in March and this could affect city council’s approval of the convention centre screen.
Meanwhile, Steve Furr, an Old Ottawa East resident, has started a petition to oppose the installation of the screen.
“It doesn’t make sense from any standpoint,” he says.
People who live close to the convention centre are worried about the light that would shine directly into their apartments, adds Furr.
He has been campaigning to spread the word and get people to mobilize.
The next step is to get as many residents as possible to attend the public consultations so they can express their concerns to the city, he says.
Furr hopes the city will take residents’ opinions seriously.
However, not all Ottawans think the exterior screens would be such a bad idea.
Amélie Lavigne, 20, a downtown resident, says a screen could actually enliven the canal area if used to showcase arts and tourism.