Escarpment Area District Plan

[m0nkyman]

Centretown is not awash with parks. There is NCC style green space which is essentially useless, but actual parks... Let's see; jack Purcell, Minto and Confederation Parks on the eastt side, Dundonald and Mcnabb on the West side, and the fields beside Centennial PS, Adult, Technical and Lisgar.

Every single one of them is very well used. Not useless green space. In dense urban areas parks are useful.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by citizen j

Because everybody knows that good urban planning dictates it should be easier to find a "park" (read "vacant lot with sod") than a grocery store, a school, a cinema, a library, a bookstore, a decent restaurant, a well-designed building, or an LRT station. Grass is king.

I know! Grass makes cities vibrate!

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by m0nkyman

Centretown is not awash with parks. There is NCC style green space which is essentially useless, but actual parks... Let's see; jack Purcell, Minto and Confederation Parks on the eastt side, Dundonald and Mcnabb on the West side, and the fields beside Centennial PS, Adult, Technical and Lisgar.

Every single one of them is very well used. Not useless green space. In dense urban areas parks are useful.

I agree! They are well used. Centretown has a good proportion of park land. Not too little, as is argued based on some arbitrary metric.

[waterloowarrior]

Official Plan Amendment incoming...http://www.ocdsb.ca/calendar/AGENDA%...ial%20Plan.pdf

[skisail_ott]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

Did I also hear somewhere that Pooley's bridge will connect to Queen st. with a staircase and elevator?

It was discussed in this document, which I believe is from 2008:

https://ottawa.ca/en/escarpment-area-district-plan

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by skisail_ott

It was discussed in this document, which I believe is from 2008:

https://ottawa.ca/en/escarpment-area-district-plan

Seems like a really important connectivity project between LeBreton and and the CBD, and it would likely become the shortest and most "pleasant" route as opposed to going by the car centric Wellington or long detour down Albert.

[Kitchissippi]

I would love to see one of these outdoor elevators that are popular in Spain put up between Queen Street and Pooley’s bridge:



from Dezeen

I had suggested in one of the public sessions for Adisoke that it could be part of the new library, with a bridge connection to its upper levels (and have outdoor ramps built into the building so it functioned as a cycling path, maybe even a glassed tunnel running through the building—I know too wild for Ottawa). I imagined the elevator structure extending up into a dynamically lit lantern on the Queen street axis as a book end to the NAC’s lantern so that both ends would have a beacon drawing people to either end of downtown, and would also give visibility to the library from the CBD.

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by skisail_ott

It was discussed in this document, which I believe is from 2008:

https://ottawa.ca/en/escarpment-area-district-plan

Oh thank you. It doesnt seem like much more than a footnote in that document but it seems like a good idea and would give a little bit more purpose to that park on the corner of the escarpment which feels criminally underused.

While I know Moon isn't in the escarpment district it's certainly next to it. I had a good chuckle at what is literally the first sentence of the executive summary on the first page.

"The Escarpment Area District Plan, approved by City Council in December 2008, establishes a new benchmark for high-rise built form in the city that is more pedestrian-friendly and results in a visually appealing development in contrast to the traditional slab-style building that has characterized the downtown since the 1970s. A more slender "point tower" form will help preserve views and access to sunlight, substantially reduce shadow impacts, maintain privacy and eliminate blank walls and inanimate facades."

JFC

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I would love to see one of these outdoor elevators that are popular in Spain put up between Queen Street and Pooley’s bridge:

I had suggested in one of the public sessions for Adisoke that it could be part of the new library, with a bridge connection to its upper levels (and have outdoor ramps built into the building so it functioned as a cycling path, maybe even a glassed tunnel running through the building—I know too wild for Ottawa). I imagined the elevator structure extending up into a dynamically lit lantern on the Queen street axis as a book end to the NAC’s lantern so that both ends would have a beacon drawing people to either end of downtown, and would also give visibility to the library from the CBD.

That would be great. Love you're idea of having some sort of lantern to mirror the NAC's Kipnes Lantern. Bronson Park needs some work. Would be a great spot for a Tavern on the Hill type place (Tavern by the Cliff/Tavern on the Escarpment). We need something to attract people beyond Lyon towards the Flats. Occo Kitchen helps liven up that area a bit, but more is needed.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Bronson Park needs some work. Would be a great spot for a Tavern on the Hill type place (Tavern by the Cliff/Tavern on the Escarpment).

Also a great idea. That park is such an under-appreciated asset.

[postingaboutottawa]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

ThBronson Park needs some work. Would be a great spot for a Tavern on the Hill type place (Tavern by the Cliff/Tavern on the Escarpment). We need something to attract people beyond Lyon towards the Flats. Occo Kitchen helps liven up that area a bit, but more is needed.

Couldn't disagree more, there is certainly a need for some bike locks and probably more seating but not everything needs to be a patio. Part of what i love about living in ottawa is how some places are just spaces where people can walk their dog or enjoy the view and smoke a joint.

Having a patio in major's hill or patterson's creek in my view is different because the spaces are large enough to not be dominated by a place people need to pay to be at.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by postingaboutottawa

Couldn't disagree more, there is certainly a need for some bike locks and probably more seating but not everything needs to be a patio. Part of what i love about living in ottawa is how some places are just spaces where people can walk their dog or enjoy the view and smoke a joint.

Having a patio in major's hill or patterson's creek in my view is different because the spaces are large enough to not be dominated by a place people need to pay to be at.

To me, that's the Garden of the Provinces with its tree canopy and relaxing water features. I'd even say it might be worth eliminating the bistro at Confederation Park in order to return to a quieter oasis in the city.

A lively Bronson Park is one of the missing links to connect LeBreton with the traditionally Downtown.

[JayBuoy]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

To me, that's the Garden of the Provinces with its tree canopy and relaxing water features. I'd even say it might be worth eliminating the bistro at Confederation Park in order to return to a quieter oasis in the city.

A lively Bronson Park is one of the missing links to connect LeBreton with the traditionally Downtown.

I don't think a bistro alone would animate it. I'm very much in agreement with postingaboutottawa. We should be very cautious about private uses of public space. I don't really see a good place for a bistro at Bronson Park, that wouldn't just crowd out the space.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by JayBuoy

I don't think a bistro alone would animate it. I'm very much in agreement with postingaboutottawa. We should be very cautious about private uses of public space. I don't really see a good place for a bistro at Bronson Park, that wouldn't just crowd out the space.

That's a fair point. It's just such an underused park as it stands that it needs something to animate it. Maybe a connection to the park below would be enough, but otherwise I don't see benches etc. being enough to get there.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by phil235

That's a fair point. It's just such an underused park as it stands that it needs something to animate it. Maybe a connection to the park below would be enough, but otherwise I don't see benches etc. being enough to get there.

At the moment, it's just one interesting art piece in a patch of grass. Good view though. Needs some work, whatever that may be. The other park in the Escarpment District is also uninteresting. Community garden and dog run are fine, but half is again just grass and gravel. The Ottawa Tech parking lot and gym (?) don't help.

Maybe the Trebla building's conversion and street level retail will help bring more people further west to Bronson Park.

In any case, the Escarpment District needs some investment. The City created this decent master plan in 2008 and did absolutely nothing with it. Now's the time to tie the CBD and LeBreton Flats.

Moderator, would it be possible to move the conversation to the Escarpment District thread?

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...ght=escarpment

Been dead for a decade now.

[postingaboutottawa]

If something needs to be animated its the tech wall park.

Bronson park needs not just more seating but some kind of flex space that elevates a bit to offer people a better view along with lighting, bike locks, a water fountain and probably a connection down the escarpment. Trying to make it a destination instead of a unique smaller space with spectacular views is trying to force diminishing returns when there are so many other spaces which need something to be a draw in the first place

[J.OT13]

Good overview of the Escarpment District from Harley. The M+M and Rimap towers will have such a huge impact. Moon doesn't have as much of an impact as I thought, and maybe that's a good thing.

Hope to see a redevelopment of Ottawa Tech and parking lot, preserving at least the auditorium building.

I know we've been discussing it recently, but both Bronson and Tech Wall parks need some work. Thousands of residents (and growing) need usable greenspace, not just grass.

Originally Posted by Harley613

Indeed it is!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Maybe the Claridge logo is lit up at night? From hoggytime on Skyrise (aka Harley613, aka Harley Davis).


https://skyrisecities.com/forum/thre...i.37261/page-2

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

I like the accent lighting, I think Ottawa as a whole needs a lot more of it, especially on commercial buildings. I'm actually pretty shocked Claridge's bean counters allowed it through the value engineering stage.

The number of blank west-facing walls in Harley's pic is staggering and quite unfortunate.

The developers who built the towers on the east side of Lyon knew this was the money shot, so they built the facades on Lyon (or at least, didn't blank the Lyon face). Somehow none of the residential developers west of Lyon thought of that.

Claridge could have shifted their towers ever so slightly for windows on the west facade, but decide not too. Heck Claridge probably could have gotten approval for 30+ floors had they asked, cause Claridge.

[DTcrawler]

Thank god for Main + Main (this project, at least) because had they gone the blank brick wall approach, the view would've been even more bleak. Especially considering 400 Albert blocks out Constitution Square, one of the scarce glass towers in sight.

[J.OT13]

If Tech High parking lot and gym can get redeveloped, that would have a significant impact in blacking a few bad blank walls.

Otherwise, does Minto own the parking lot next to Pinnacle? That would also be appreciated if a tower stepped back enough above the smaller apartment block next door to allow, you know, windows.

I can't imagine the condo board of the Teron residential towers across the street from the Hiton Hotel would a. create a mural on the blank wall of the tower on Bay and b. develop the car loop.