Despite concern that many of its recommendations will never be implemented — including proposals for more green space in downtown Ottawa — a finalized version of the Centretown Community Design Plan has been released after undergoing extensive review by local community organizations.
The plan, formerly known as the Mid-Centretown design plan, has been going through revisions for more than two years. It calls for increased building heights, more bike lanes, improved pedestrian routes, and a revitalization of the area’s parks and green space.
In spite of its ambitious goals, the plan has received criticism from municipal and community representatives — including Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes — who say building new parks in the midst of downtown development will prove difficult if not impossible.
Holmes recently told the Ottawa Citizen that land prices in the downtown area — largely as a result of earlier planning decisions permitting taller buildings in certain parts of Centretown — have “tripled,” meaning landowners will be determined to sell for huge profits to developers rather than striking deals with the city to create small parks.
She pointed to a proposed park at Bank and Gilmour streets — to be called Derby Lane Square — as one idea unlikely to come to fruition.
The area included in the development plan stretches from Kent Street in the west to Elgin Street in the east. The Queensway marks the southern boundary for the area, with the high rises of downtown at Gloucester Street to the north.
George Dark, the Toronto-based urban designer behind much of the design, has stated that the goal of the project has always been to take into account Centretown’s diverse population and unique needs.
But Jordan Charbonneau, president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association, says the design lacks a comprehensive plan for change, especially with regard to the proposed improvements to the area’s “small but significant” pieces of green space.
“We are very pleased to see the strength in the vision for enhancing and increasing green space in its many forms, but what is most important is what is done with this plan,” says Charbonneau.
The extensive green space plan calls for two entirely new parks, as well as a number of smaller “parkettes” to be scattered across the downtown. Meanwhile, significant numbers of trees along Metcalfe, Somerset, Gladstone, and Catherine streets would create “a more connected green system” for Centretown residents, according to the plan.
The city has already seen significant redevelopment of its parks, with $2.5 million set aside for improvements to parks at the beginning of 2012. But Holmes says developing green space in an area this dense can be difficult.
Bonnie Mabee, chair of the CCCA’s green space committee, shares Holmes’ concerns that implementation of the plan will eventually fall short.
“It is key to have a long-term, coordinated, year-by-year outline of park and green space planning,” says Mabee. “This is a tough sell to council.”
The plan is to be presented to city council’s planning committee on Dec. 11.