NCC Ottawa River South Shore Riverfront Park Plan [Kichi Zībī Mīkan] | In Progress

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

If your concern is bicycles, then let's build separated, cleared bike paths like they do in places which take cycling seriously. Simple.

In places that take cycling super-hyper-mega-seriously... people bike on the street.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

In places that take cycling super-hyper-mega-seriously... people bike on the street.

...Streets they can dominate, like neighbourhood streets. Having lived in both Sweden (across the bridge from Copenhagen) and Germany (walking distance from the Netherlands), I can tell you that vehicular cycling is common, but not on medium/high-speed roads and medium-high traffic roads like Col.By or, to a lesser extent, QED.

Rule of thumb: if you wouldn't feel safe take your 7 year-old on it, it isn't safe enough.



Note that our crappy little "let's-paint-a-line-on-Bronson-and-call-it-a-bike-path" paths are NOT there.

Once we design (key word being DESIGN, not LEGISTLATE) for 30km/h with extra-narrow lanes, pavers and a healthy number of obstacles so that cars go so slowly that you'd leave your 7-yo bike there and it becomes inconvenient for car commuting purposes, then I totally agree with you. I know that there is a certain vocal segment of the cycling population which reacts with abhorrence to 'special treatment' (like segregated lanes or paths) and I am not saying that they shouldn't be accommodated, but if we the other 99% of the population who aren't vehicular cyclists should probably receive a proportional amount of infrastructure which makes biking feel safe, convenient and respected.

[McC]

Originally Posted by umbria27

Just to respond to a couple of points here:
Putting a bus on the Parkway does take something away from the Parkway experience. The QED and Colonel By specifically aren't well suited to bus traffic, because they are so narrow. You would significantly downgrade the experience of cyclists if they have to play leap frog and mirror dodge with buses.

Don't forget that in my make-believe world, QED, ColBy and the others have been widened to add bike lanes, too. So ensuring there is room for buses and (select, well-spaced, accessible and carefully-designed) bus stops would be done at the same time; ta-DA!

[umbria27]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

If your concern is bicycles, then let's build separated, cleared bike paths like they do in places which take cycling seriously. Simple.

Yes this is my concern. Sadly the solution is not so simple. There just isn't enough room for a segregated path and a tram line beside the canal. The image you shared of Montpelier was of a wide open square. The canal pathways are only a fraction of that width.

Originally Posted by Aylmer

If your concern is that the destination of people taking transit is mostly concentrated elsewhere than the canal, then it is all the more reason for removing cars from the parkway: their payloads, lest we build some parking lots along the canal, is also elsewhere.

However, it would seem that your concerns are more that transit ― or, if you'd like, garbage trucks ― would impede the passage of cars. If that's our goal, then we should get rid of cyclist and pedestrian interference, two things which also prevent cars from attaining their full potential for speed.

I think you are purposely misreading now. I've agreed upthread that speed limits should be reduced to discourage car commuters. I would not oppose removing cars from the canal driveways. We could start by removing them on weekends as a trial. We tolerate cars on the Colonel by and Queen Elizabeth because a. they don't stop every 300 metres and block the lane while picking up and dropping off, b. they can usually pass safely without forcing a cyclists onto the kerb.

You seem to have got the idea that I'm opposed to public transit. You don't need to persuade me. I wholeheartedly agree that transit is necessary for a modern healthy city (almost as important garbage collection). I just don't support it in these locations, because they are not good routes and they have already been earmarked for recreational/park uses.

Run a tram down Bank or O'Connor right into the heart to Lansdowne. Put it where people live, work and shop.

[rocketphish]

NCC 'blue skies' Parkway plans

By Megan Gillis, Ottawa Sun
First posted: Tuesday, May 27, 2014 10:02 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, May 27, 2014 10:08 PM EDT

The National Capital Commission hosted a "blue-skying" session Tuesday to drum up ideas to turn the riverfront along the Sir John A. Macdonald Pkwy. into a "linear park" that could be inspired by examples from Chicago to Quebec City.

It will continue to be a "treasured green space," said NCC CEO Mark Kristmanson who expected dozens of people - members of community groups, cycling advocates, naturalists and City of Ottawa staff were among the invited - to to suggest ways increase to boost access to the Ottawa River shoreline and create activities that would draw more people to the 9 km corridor between Preston St. and Carling Ave.

"There are already huge volumes of cyclists and pedestrians - to add more things for them to do and ways to connect back into the urban fabric, whether it's in Westboro or coming back into the war museum district," he said.

There is no budget or timeline attached to the project yet - it could take a decade for something to happen or be sooner depending on what comes forward, public support and the NCC's board, which aims to "animate" shorelines, Kristmanson said.

He said it's not related to city plans for future rail links - a flashpoint between the NCC and city hall - but predicted "it will help inform the broader conversation about the western light rail and how it should work, what it should do, what it forms part of."

David Jeanes of Transport Action pointed to plans for five future light rail stations in the area.

"The existing facilities down there are very limited," he said, noting there's currently one spot to enjoy a beach and buy refreshments.

"If this is really going to attract a lot of people, there are going to have to be many more amenities. This whole place will be served by light rail."

NCC planner Stan Leinwand defined linear parks as "number one, they take you somewhere" - typically offering places to walk, jog and bike and stop for food and a break - and pointed to examples, such as Chicago's Lakefront Trail or Quebec City's Promenade Samuel-de-Champlain which has become a draw for residents and tourists with fountains, gardens, a wetland and sports fields.

Emily Addison said the Hintonburg Community Association is looking to connect their area to the riverfront and find community garden space - potentially north of Tunney's Pasture or Laroche Park - because "there's literally no land in our neighbourhood" yet 10 local groups are clamouring for one.

megan.gillis@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @ottawasun_megan

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/05/27/...-parkway-plans

[1overcosc]

That new NCC CEO is very mum about the LRT issue, as opposed to Mills who is extremely vocal that its his-way-or-the-highway on LRT and the City better shut the f**k up.

I'm not sure how to take it. It could be that he's warmer to the City's preferred route, it could mean that some sort of as-of-yet-undisclosed agreement was made about the route. Or it could simply mean he wants to avoid being seen as taking a position in order to keep things cordial with the city. Or it could mean that the federal government itself is planning (or he suspects they're planning) to take charge of the issue, bypassing the NCC itself, and he wants to avoid looking like an idiot when Baird announces something completely different from what he announced.

[kevinbottawa]

Aside from the beach, the trail in Chicago isn't that impressive. The one in Quebec City looks awesome. I'd love to see something like that in Ottawa.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Aside from the beach, the trail in Chicago isn't that impressive. The one in Quebec City looks awesome. I'd love to see something like that in Ottawa.

I disagree on Chicago. I thought that the Chicago trail was excellent. We biked from Lincoln Park on the North Side all the way down to the University of Chicago and I have to say that it was interesting all the way, through Navy Pier, Millenium Park, the Museum Campus and the site of the World's Fair. The fact that the entire waterfront is open was great, and Chicago is hard to beat for the architecture and skyline views.

[rocketphish]

Ottawa River development a balancing act

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun
First posted: Saturday, May 31, 2014 04:21 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, June 01, 2014 12:06 AM EDT

One of the best summer drives in Ottawa is just before sundown along the Sir John A. Macdonald Pkwy.

Bike or car. It doesn’t matter.

The warm breeze kicks off the Ottawa River and floats over the shore as the sun’s reflection splashes across the water.

Cyclists rest their bikes against Westboro Beach’s grassy hill to catch the last minutes of daylight. Cold drinks sweat in the heat at a riverside cafe.

Aside from the parkway, the cycle path and the occasional roadside attraction -- like the beach, the balanced rock sculptures at Remic Rapids or the War Museum -- the Ottawa River shoreline is serene and undisturbed.

This will change, however, when Windmill Developments breaks ground on an impressive $1-billion development on the old Domtar islands behind the museum and along the Gatineau riverfront.

Imagine an industrial wasteland completely remodelled as a destination for local residents and tourists. It would include condos, cafes, revitalized parkland and a reopened Chaudiere Falls, which is currently out of sight and out of mind.

A mixed-use complex, with high rises 15-20 storeys, is unprecedented for the Ottawa River shoreline in the capital city’s central stretch.

The uniqueness of the properties rests largely in a simple fact: They’re privately owned. Take a look at the shoreline map through Ottawa and you’ll notice swaths of land owned by the National Capital Commission, a federal agency tasked with maintaining heritage and conserving areas of national importance in the capital.

That would include the Ottawa River, the home of the Algonquin people and principle driver of economic activity in Bytown through the 19th Century.

In what will be a transformative project for the waterfront, Windmill has managed to accomplish what some would consider an impossible feat by, so far, winning support from municipal governments on each side of the river and the NCC.

NCC spokesman Mario Tremblay calls the Windmill proposal a “tremendous opportunity” for the capital region.

“It has been a very interesting project and we have been working with the proponent and both cities from the beginning,” Tremblay says.

The NCC has recently turned its attention to changing the face of its waterfront land. This has come in the form of “programming” small spaces as pilot projects. Residents might be most familiar with what the NCC is trying out along the Rideau Canal by allowing an urban beach, a canal-side bistro, patios and ice cream carts.

The same trial will happen to the Ottawa River waterfront this summer and Tremblay says people can expect the same kind of installments as they have seen along the canal. The agency has been evaluating nearly 40 proposals and expects to announce the winners soon.

Temper your expectations, though.

“It’s not major infrastructure projects,” Tremblay says.

If the new riverside amenities are met with fanfare from the public, the NCC could be in a tricky position of developing the waterfront with small-scale projects while trying to maintain the natural aesthetic of the land.

Ottawa Riverkeeper Meredith Brown says it’s a constant challenge.

Brown has sat in meetings vetting proposals and has heard pleas to have more cafes for people to enjoy a coffee or beer along the water.

That’s not exactly her cup of tea.

“But I’ve learned I’m not like most people,” Brown says. “It’s apparently one of the number one requests the NCC gets.”

As for the Windmill project -- which endeavours to be the most environmentally sensitive large-scale development in the region -- Brown is throwing her support behind the plan.

“It’s definitely going to change the face of the islands as we know them today,” she says. “We have absolutely no good examples in the National Capital Region of progressive sustainable development. We don’t have a good example of a development that puts sustainability principles to use.”

Key for both the NCC and the riverkeeper is public access to the Ottawa River waterfront.

(This is at the heart of the City of Ottawa’s battle to get a $980-million western LRT route south of the Sir John A. Macdonald Pkwy. approved by the NCC, which is highly protective of the current access to the river).

The Ottawa River waterfront in the capital will draw more people in the coming years and their reasons for visiting will go beyond leisurely strolls.

Unique projects to link the Ottawa and Gatineau riverfronts are in the works. The City of Ottawa owns the Prince of Wales Bridge, hoping to one day extend rail service from Bayview station to the City of Gatineau. Since it’s a far-off achievement, Ottawa in the short term wants to use the bridge as a cycling and pedestrian path to Gatineau.

According to the riverkeeper, there is also a plan afoot to provide direct and easy cycling access to Chaudiere Falls from the War Museum.

And, the NCC is taking a hard look at their properties near the Portage Bridge, such as the area around the Navy monument on Richmond Landing and the old Bronson Pulp Mill near the Mill St. Brew pub.

There has been no focus recently on creating a grand plan for what the waterfront should look like.

The City of Ottawa’s official plan calls for improved access to the Ottawa River and co-operation with the NCC and the City of Gatineau on studies and blueprints. Ottawa’s policies protect the natural environment, cultural heritage, vistas and recreational interests of the river.

The riverkeeper is pushing the governments to make communication between government agencies a priority.

“We really have no shared vision for the Ottawa River with all the key players,” Brown says. “That’s critical because if everybody is working in isolation we never get to what the shared vision might be.”

For Brown, that means a “swimmable, drinkable and fishable Ottawa River.”

And ideally, preserving those scenic vistas for motorists and bikers cruising along the parkway.

“I think we need to protect the natural wild spaces because that’s what’s going to be in demand,” Brown says. “Those are kinds of experiences that are precious and hard to come by.”

Twitter: @JonathanWilling

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/05/30/...-balancing-act

[Dado]

Amusing, to say the least.


http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/n...ut-lrt-expert/

Parkways can’t survive without LRT: expert
Urban planner presents viewpoint that conflicts with official vision during first NCC speaker series event

Ottawa West News
By Laura Mueller


Despite resolutely rejecting the city’s idea of running light rail along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, the National Capital Commission recently hosted an expert speaker who argues for just such a plan.

In the first event of its evening public speakers series on Oct. 16, the NCC invited Robert Fishman , a professor of architecture and urban planning at the University of Michigan, to speak to the legacy of parkways.

In highlighting the history of how the linear parks punctuated with roadways evolved, Fishman said when it comes to the situation Ottawa is facing, Fishman said he understands the issue is complicated, but he didn’t mince words when asked for his outsider perspective.

“I have the relatively easy task of saying that ultimately, I don’t think a parkway system in the future can work without light rail and light rail access,” he said.

The “tough matter,” Fishman said, is deciding where to locate that light rail access.

“Light rail, I think, is a whole lot more flexible than people realize,” he said, describing how rail tracks used to be threaded through neighbourhoods, with no more danger to the public than a roadway. Some of the best old neighbourhoods are former “streetcar suburbs.” That argument picked up on the theme of his talk, which focused on how the flexibility and lack of rigid format for the first parkways developed in the late 1800s could be a lesson for how cities can re-imagine their parkways for the future.

For instance, some of the first parkways designed by Frederick Law Olmstead were meant for horse-drawn buggies and featured a side path for pedestrians, which were eventually converted for use by bicycles and cars after they were invented.

In the same way, including light rail along parkways isn’t uncommon, Fishman said. He pointed to Roland Park, a suburb of Baltimore, where tracks were placed right through the centre of the neighbourhood.

“It ran right through this beautiful parkway that was lined with the most magnificent houses in Baltimore,” he said. “They appreciated that it was running right in front of their front doors.

“I think that the way in which light rail can really coexist with a neighbourhood is one of the many things we’ve forgotten,” Fishman said.

Park vs. road discrepancy

Fishman’s talk highlighted the tension between the intent of a parkway as a park that can bring people closer to nature, versus the way many parkways have evolved to become de facto highways.

“The association between the parkway and the car, is to my mind, right now, obsolete,” Fishman said. “We need a much more complex way of using the parkway and of accessing the parkway.”

The original essence of the roadway experience of a parkway was for motorists to meander down its length at a slow speed, stopping to take walks or hikes in the parkland along the way.

That changed when faster cars were invented, Fishman said. But returning to that original intent of “the basic social character” of the parkway is what will save the form in the future, he said.

“In the future, I think what we call the parkways, the linear parks, will be used by people who don’t get there by car, but who get there by various forms of transit, bikes or by walking,” Fishman said. “That’s one of the main reasons we have to put the roadway and the automobile in its place in the parkway.”

That was one of the main takeaways of the NCC’s chief executive, Mark Kristmansson, who did not directly respond to a question about how Fishman’s LRT message directly conflicts with the NCC’s own position on the matter.

“Of course, his overall message is ‘Why don’t we slow down?’” Kristmanson said.

The NCC executive said he was fascinated by Fishman’s descriptions of how the cross sections of parkways – the widths allotted to different uses, such as parkland, pathways and roadways – could be re-used.

That message is “inspirational” as the NCC looks to undertake a study on how to transform the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway into a linear park, Kristmanson said.

“It’s very timely for use to consider all these things and also somewhat hopeful in that parkways have a history and they also have a future and maybe high speed is not part of that future,” Kristmanson said.

[citydwlr]

Apparently, there is a consultation happening this evening:
Public Consultation: Plan for the North Shore of the Ottawa River

The National Capital Commission (NCC) invites the public to participate in a workshop on the development of the Ottawa River north shore plan, for the core sector (Gatineau side), which includes Ruisseau de la Brasserie (Brewery Creek). The public will have an opportunity to provide comments on the way in which the shoreline parks and green spaces will be used and managed in the coming years.

Here are the maps they are using for the consultation.

You can also participate in the consultation online.

[rocketphish]

No plans to rip up Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, NCC's Kristmanson says

Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: November 26, 2014, Last Updated: November 26, 2014 9:20 PM EST

Relax, commuters. The National Capital Commission isn’t planning to rip up the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway to create a new linear park along the Ottawa River, says CEO Mark Kristmanson. At least, not any time soon.

The NCC has ramped up plans for improved access to the Ottawa River shoreline, including a proposed waterfront linear park from the Canadian War Museum to Britannia Park.

Some have suggested that Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, a key route downtown for commuters from Ottawa’s west end and West Quebec, is incompatible with the linear park concept.

Asked by the Citizen on Wednesday whether removing the existing roadway was being considered, Kristmanson replied: “The short answer is no.”

During a public consultation in May, Kristmanson said, some participants told planners they would like the NCC to reduce the four-lane parkway to a two-lane road, similar to other scenic parkways in the capital.

But Kristmanson said he didn’t want to “jump to that conclusion. I’d hate to make commuters worry that we’re somehow going to make their lives more difficult in the short term by changing anything.

“Maybe some day car use will change. Maybe traffic patterns can be looked at,” he said. “But the initial phase is really to study this renewed vision for shorelines and rivers for the long term.”

Prior to the public consultation session in May, Kristmanson said he thought of the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and the lands along it as “a pretty grim piece of highway.”

But after brainstorming ideas for a linear park with participants, “I came away totally convinced that it could be beautiful. It could be wonderful.”

Among other things, members of the public suggested more boat launches for kayaks and canoes, small piers with concessions, washrooms and bicycle pumps, he said. “There is a vision developing from a whole series of inputs.”

The NCC has also held public sessions about improving access to other parts of the river, including one Tuesday night focused on the north shore in Gatineau.

If the shoreline initiatives proceed, along with Windmill Developments’ proposed development on Chaudière Island, “you’re looking at a transformed core of the city,” Kristmanson said.

The NCC chief executive stressed that developing the linear park will take many years. “There’s no funding assigned for this yet.”

The NCC is developing a new master plan for the capital, which will include a chapter on shorelines and rivers. Once it is finished in the next year or two, the plan “will guide future decisions and development,” Kristmanson said.

dbutler@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/ButlerDon

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...istmanson-says

[silvergate]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

“Maybe some day car use will change.

Not with that attitude.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

[B][SIZE="4"]
But after brainstorming ideas for a linear park with participants, “I came away totally convinced that it could be beautiful. It could be wonderful.”

You know what else can be beautiful?

Cities. Made of buildings.

Why can't the NCC see beyond "green space green space green space" in its planning adventures? Except, of course, for the odd foray into "open space" or "public space".

ENOUGH SPACE!!!!

[citydwlr]

If the NCC really wants community involvement in their events, they should probably advertise a bit better...Just found out about another event at the last minute:

Urbanism Lab Event: Ecological Urbanism

The event takes place:
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
6 pm to 8:30 pm

But...You had to reserve a spot by noon today:

Please RSVP to info@ncc-ccn.ca by noon, Tuesday, December 9, 2014. Space is limited.

Here's the rest of the information from the link above:

The National Capital Commission (NCC), in partnership with the Embassy of France, is pleased to present a stimulating discussion about ecological urbanism. This is an approach that

…considers the city with multiple instruments and with a worldview that is fluid in scale and disciplinary focus. Design provides the synthetic key to connect ecology with an urbanism that is not in contradiction with its environment.

The panel will consist of the following experts:

• Nina-Marie Lister,Associate Professor,>Ryerson University (Toronto, Canada)
• Christian Devillers, Agence Devillers (Paris, France)
• Philippe Clergeau, Professor, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity Management, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris, France)
• Joan Tarragon,Architect, X-TU architects (Paris, France)

The discussion will introduce the concepts of ecological urbanism as a philosophy and theory, as it is known in the Canadian context. Our French guests will then share their knowledge and experience from a theoretical and practical perspective, including the notion of éco-quartiers and green architecture.

As planner and steward of Canada’s Capital, the NCC strives to incorporate innovative thought leadership to continue to creating a truly world-renowned capital.

This event is open to the public.

[rocketphish]

Put Ottawa's Sir John A. Parkway on a 'diet,' NCC told

Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: December 12, 2014, Last Updated: December 12, 2014 7:24 PM EST

The National Capital Commission should narrow or relocate the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway.

That’s the message the NCC has heard from citizens as it moves to develop a plan for a new linear park along the Ottawa River.

A report posted to the NCC’s website this week says the agency expects to complete the plan for a linear park — an urban park that’s substantially longer than it is wide — from the Canadian War Museum to Britannia Park, by the end of 2015.

The report summarizes ideas from 34 participants in a workshop last May about how a linear park could be created in sections of the river corridor.

The participants, representing 29 organizations, suggested a wide range of ideas. But one message was recurrent: to create a successful linear park, the NCC must reduce the “barrier effect” of the parkway.

Participants broke into small groups, each of which brainstormed ideas for a specific section of the parkway corridor. Reducing the roadway’s impact was a key point for four of the five groups.

One group, focused on the section from Bayview to Parkdale Avenue, said the NCC should use a “road diet” — which typically means reducing the number of lanes or narrowing their width — to slow down parkway traffic or relocate the road, perhaps closer to the developed areas of Tunney’s Pasture.

They also wanted the NCC to remove the existing cloverleaf at the Parkdale intersection, opening up space for a possible restaurant.

The group that looked at the section from Remic Rapids to the Champlain Bridge suggested turning one of the traffic lanes into a bicycle lane. Their blunt message: “Slow traffic down.”

Though the posted speed limit is 60 kilometres an hour, parkway traffic typically moves at something closer to 80 kilometres an hour.

The workshop participants who considered the stretch near Deschênes Rapids had a similar message, according to the report: “Reduce parkway traffic, and include better pedestrian crossings.”

And the group that looked at the section near Mud Lake and Lincoln Fields wanted the NCC to move the parkway away from the river and eliminate two of its four lanes.

In a recent interview with the Citizen, NCC chief executive Mark Kristmanson tried to calm fears that the creation of the linear park would mean tearing up the roadway.

There are no plans to do anything radical at this time, he said, adding: “I’d hate to make commuters worry that we’re somehow going to make their lives more difficult in the short term by changing anything.”

But he left the door open to the possibility that, at some future point — perhaps when light rail transit is in place and commuters have better alternatives to the private automobile — changes to the route or configuration of the parkway might be considered.

The NCC report says the agency will use the workshop comments and ideas in developing an overall concept for a future linear park, as well as specific concepts for sections of the corridor.

The commission will hold a public consultation on the planning principles and concepts for the linear park in June 2015.

dbutler@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/ButlerDon

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...-diet-ncc-told

[Aylmer]

Would a linear park hinder unimpeded access to the river? How will I be able to see the water from my car if there are PEOPLE in the way?

[rocketphish]

Ideas for a linear park

Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: December 12, 2014, Last Updated: December 12, 2014 6:13 PM EST

Here are some ideas proposed for different sections of a planned park along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway by participants in an NCC workshop last May:

Bayview to Parkdale:

• Prince of Wales Bridge (the rail bridge across the Ottawa River) has great potential for a historic garden;
• Remove the cloverleaf at the Parkdale interchange;
• Consider relocating the parkway south, nearer to the developed area of Tunney’s Pasture. Make it slower, through a “road diet;”
• Plough pathways in winter for four-season walking, biking and running;
• Boating and canoeing facilities where safe; and
• Add services such as a restaurant, washrooms and water fountains.

Remic Rapids to the Champlain Bridge:

• Turn one of the traffic lanes into a bike lane. Slow down parkway traffic;
• Create programmable spaces, such as gazebos or a natural amphitheatre;
• All-season use with cross-country ski trails and snowshoe trails;
• A pier for fishing;
• A shuttle bus; and
• Walking trails in unusual green space.

Kitchissippi:

• Encourage installations for kids;
• Wild spaces should be encouraged;
• Meditative experiences; and
• Places for people to pause and grab a drink but no musical experiences.

Deschênes:

• Create more viewpoints, lookouts and picnic areas;
• Reduce parkway traffic and include better pedestrian crossings;
• Segregated paths for pedestrians;
• “Naturalize” the bay area. Provide coin-operated binoculars;
• Create spaces for boat and kayak launches, winter sports, groomed trails, a dog park and adult exercise stations; and
• Partner with museums for history or nature walks.

Mud Lake/Lincoln Fields:

• Cut two lanes from the parkway to enhance the park space;
• Move parkway away from the water; and
• Improve signage, especially in the Mud Lake area.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...-a-linear-park

[NOWINYOW]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Ideas for a linear park

Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: December 12, 2014, Last Updated: December 12, 2014 6:13 PM EST

Here are some ideas proposed for different sections of a planned park along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway by participants in an NCC workshop last May:



http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...-a-linear-park

All the recommendations sound wonderful. None of them will cause anyone that isn't already using the Parkway pathways to visit the area.

A restaurant at the end of Parkdale sounds great. However, that really isn't "prime" real estate along the river. Whatever happened to the restaurant off the Champlain Bridge? Now that's prime real estate for a restaurant. And what do we have there now? Nothing. Nadda. Zilch. A parking lot, that's it, that's all.

I'm all for a vibrant waterfront. But pathways and bike paths won't bring people to any area. People want to be where people are. They want to shop. They want to be entertained. Ottawa is full of parks. All of them are virtually empty all of the time. Brewer Park is busy on weekends with the market. Take any other day of the week and with the exception of the playing fields, nobody is there.

I love the Parkway area. I'd love to see it become vibrant. I've been to cities that develop their waterways with restaurants, hotels, etc. That could happen over time along the riverfront. But settling for bike paths? That's not going to entice one person from downtown, Kanata, Orleans, Barrhaven etc.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by NOWINYOW

All the recommendations sound wonderful. None of them will cause anyone that isn't already using the Parkway pathways to visit the area.

A restaurant at the end of Parkdale sounds great. However, that really isn't "prime" real estate along the river. Whatever happened to the restaurant off the Champlain Bridge? Now that's prime real estate for a restaurant. And what do we have there now? Nothing. Nadda. Zilch. A parking lot, that's it, that's all.

I'm all for a vibrant waterfront. But pathways and bike paths won't bring people to any area. People want to be where people are. They want to shop. They want to be entertained. Ottawa is full of parks. All of them are virtually empty all of the time. Brewer Park is busy on weekends with the market. Take any other day of the week and with the exception of the playing fields, nobody is there.

I love the Parkway area. I'd love to see it become vibrant. I've been to cities that develop their waterways with restaurants, hotels, etc. That could happen over time along the riverfront. But settling for bike paths? That's not going to entice one person from downtown, Kanata, Orleans, Barrhaven etc.

Be careful what we wish for though. Imagine building a waterfront, then some year having a catastrophic flood event (which is certainly not impossible - a major rain/thunderstorm outbreak in the April snowmelt, or several days of summer thunderstorms with constant heavy rain, or a stalled tropical cyclone just to the east are the most likely reasons for such).

Right now, it would mostly flood parkland (yes, including the parkway), and have fairly limited impact to communities - the Ottawa River would have to rise about 8 metres to reach into the communities along Richmond Road. The only communities that would be severely impacted by even an extreme flood (at the 1,000 year level) would be Britannia Village and a part of Crystal Beach. Develop the waterfront and suddenly the whole area becomes at risk. Most of the SJAM Parkway lies in the 100-year floodplain, then there is a noticeable rise to the residential areas.