*cracks knuckles*
Make Ottawa's waterfronts actually engaging and pedestrian oriented.
Lansdowne/Rideau Canal
For starters, go with the Original Lansdowne Park plans that brought the new urban park right to the waterfront by burying a portion of Queen Elizabeth Drive. However, my plan would deviate slightly and would have a stylistic bridge lead to an artificial island for kayak rentals and the like, as well as space for a few portable food stands in summer, and space for activities in winter when the canal freezes over.
Subsequently, the space between this artificial island and "The Ritz" to the north should be a "focus area" for a type of Boardwalk in Ottawa.
Dow's Lake and Little Italy
This area is crying out for amazing waterfront development. Keep the existing park and edge of the Arboreteum, as these are well-developed and pleasant walking areas. Where the parking lot is, build a performing arts centre (or casino) with substantial underground parking, as well as in the adjacent field that has been earmarked for future development. Put lots of underground parking there as well and you'll have no trouble.
Along the existing docks that run along Prince of Wales, fill the area in with shops and restaurants, creating Little Italy's boardwalk (alongside developing Lansdowne/the Glebe's boardwalk). Build a short and shallow car tunnel east of Preston by the water so that pedestrians need no light to cross from the park to the boardwalk/Dow's Lake Pavillion. This connected park and "Little Italy Boardwalk" makes for a seamless and dynamic Dow's Lake waterfront.
To replace the lost dock space, new docks are build near the Navy Reserve area (another spot ripe for redevelopment/rejuvenation). A landmark pedestrian bridge from my proposed performing arts centre (or casino) could lead directly to these new docks which could accommodate tour boats travelling between downtown and Little Italy. It could also lend to the idea of it being a "thing" to grab dinner on the boat and go to a show/event in Little Italy or at the convention centre downtown. This helps bring people to the water and gives Ottawa a second dynamic canal front that isn't just downtown.
Ottawa River
I sort of liked Gatineau's plan to spruce up the riverfront, but it didn't go far enough. I'd basically combine Gatineau's earlier vision with Kitchissippi's vision of an urban outdoor park/music venue, as well as new landmark museum (hopefully).
I would also like to include Windmill Development's concepts, as these will help create a waterfront in the Chaudiere area. On top of these proposals and ideas, I would attempt to greatly improve the Hull marina, enabling river cruises that would offer fantastic views of many important Ottawa landmarks.
Additionally, I would introduce an almost entirely tourist-based gondola line that would start at the northern end of Bank St. and would send gondolas down to the new park/new museum/Museum of History area, offering great photo opportunities along the way.
All this together would make for a nice, dynamic, and dense Ottawa River waterfront area.
Transit Reform: stop trying to do two different jobs with one transit system
Continue more or less with Watson's transit plan that sees LRT extended to Orleans.
However, change up the plan so that two new O-Train lines are set up. Barrhaven-Tremblay, and Kanata North-Bayview. These new routes along with the existing O-Train become the backbone of a commuter rail/connection system. This way, our suburbs get some form of rail for a relatively affordable cost. The schedules would likely be very reliable, and the trips relatively speedy since there won't be as many stops, as well as there being a dedicated right of way.
The only additional transitway to be converted to LRT would be the SE transitway in order to get to the airport (assuming a redirect and some tunneling for the current O-Train line is too much for city council).
Basically, I'd want it to more or less be like the following:
This way, Ottawa will have dynamic multi-modal transportation. The commuter rail connects various areas and serves the suburbs with an efficient and comfortable ride. LRT connects with areas and but is mainly to help promote more urban living and transit use. The remaining BRT is for less dense areas and to connect people and places to LRT/O-Train.
Doing something fresh with the experimental farm
Devote area of farm constrained by Carling, Holland, the Canal, and Baseline to becoming Ottawa's version of Central Park.
Keep the Arboreteum, museum, and many of the buildings, as well as the driveway that connects Holland to Prince of Wales. Put in a botanical gardens. Convert remaining roads into walkways for pedestrians, and bike paths for cyclists. Have them be well-lit by streetlamps.
Put "Landmark" entrances to the park at Parkdale, Prince of Wales near Dow's Lake, Maple Drive, across from the two skyscrapers along Fisher at the edge of the fields, at the corner of Fisher and Baseline, and at Baseline and Prince of Wales.
Develop section along Carling to include hospital expansion (connected via underground tunnel), as well as some condos and/or assisted living buildings.
With Parkdale being a "Landmark" entrance, Ash Lane should become one of the predominant pathways with lighting, benches, art, and kiosks. The same goes for Maple Drive which should be intensified to accommodate pedestrian traffic, as well as cars making their way to attractions and employment centres around the area. In other words, a far better Sparks Street with a lot more greenery.
Put an artificial lake/reservoir in the SW corner of this new park, and fill the rest in with trees, flowers, and plants from across Canada and the world.
Throughout the park, place numerous and spacious wood and Plexiglas booths/pavilions, that will serve a variety of purposes. In summer, air conditioning and/or shade as well as water fountains provide a respite from the sun, and can be used as information kiosks or "safehouses" if people feel they are in danger at night. In winter, they can provide a break from the cold, as well as the opportunity to do some winter reading without suffering frostbite. Several of the larger ones could and should have a cafe/shop set up so people can relax and have a hot or cold drink, depending on the season. Bike racks/Bixi will also be present to facilitate bike use, lock-up, and storage.
A handful of cafes/restaurants, a merry-go-round, statues, sculptures, and art installations should also be spread around the park.
Parkdale Market: winter version
I love the Parkdale Market, and all the improvements to it and the surrounding park and area. However, it lacks attraction in winter. What I'd love to see is the metal and plastic set up gone, and replaced with a permanent wood (and most likely plastic) set up; most likely pine as its resilient and very "wintery". In winter (working with or around the Christmas tree sales) an outdoor cafe is set up. In the empty booths, portable fireplaces are set up along with benches and chairs so that people can be warm while they enjoy a drink at this outdoor cafe.
Better yet, put a beavertail shack like the one in the Byward Market at the northern edge of the Parkdale Market where there's some space, and in winter convert the Parkdale Market into an outdoor cafe with fireplaces or heaters set up in the wooden Parkdale Market structure I mentioned earlier that I'd like to see.
Cornerstone House of Refuge Apostolic Church
Reconvert this church into a theatre a la Mayfair/Bytowne, but have it cater to more independent films, up and comers, film students, and digital film festivals. It would go great with the "arts district of Ottawa" mission that West Wellington has set out for itself.
City attitudes
We need to stop trying to keep buskers to specific areas, and we need to have more areas around the city like Tech Wall. We also need to ensure that cyclists use the pathways. Often, I've seen cyclists not obeying the rules and being on the pathways, even if they're just a block over.
The city also needs to get itself and the NCC over the concept that a park = trees + grass.
A park that isn't very green but serves an incredible purpose
I've always had this vision of the downtown parking lot bounded by Kent, Albert, and Queen being converted into a very modern park called "Park of the People". At the eastern end along the walls, either an art installation or a digital image board will be up to discourage graffiti. The park would be elevated by several steps, and a water feature/reflecting pool would be in the middle of the park. Some trees with combination planters/benches would dot the perimeter of the park.
However, the purpose of this park is to have statues and information plaques about Canadians who were not politicians or politically motivated (like on Parliament Hill), or were war heroes (like the Valiants near the War Memorial).
This park would be explicitly dedicated to Canadians who invented things, or were famous by virtue of their deeds and accomplishments. For example, we have politicians and political figures grace Parliament Hill, war heroes at the War Memorial, but this "Park of the People" would be for people like Terry Fox, Frederick Banting, Joseph-Armand Bombardier, Norman Bethune, Canadian astronauts, and famous Canadian artists, musicians, writers, etc.
We lack a park like this, and it would be in the core, and would be a tourist attraction as well as help with regards to knowledge of Canadian history and contributions.
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