Government Conference Centre - Senate Renovation | Proposed

waterloowarrior · #1 Posted: **May 16, 2013, 5:09 PM**

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ot...750/story.html

Senate to take over Government Conference Centre till 2028

BY DAVID REEVELY, OTTAWA CITIZEN MAY 16, 2013 12:31 PM

OTTAWA — The Senate expects to move in to the Government Conference Centre by the Rideau Canal in 2018 and stay there for 10 years while the Red Chamber’s part of Centre Block is renovated, say documents posted to the federal government’s online bulletin board for contractors.

Ottawans who want the former train station turned into a public space can forget it till at least 2028, and probably longer.

The Senate’s administrators are seeking a security firm to conduct a “threat assessment” of the century-old building and recommend what needs to be done it keep it safe for the upper house, whose facilities are to be fixed up as part of a billion-dollar overhaul of Parliament Hill. The temporary tenants include the Senate chamber itself, plus offices, meeting rooms and facilities for security and food services.

“In the longer term, it can be assumed that the building would revert to its use as a government conference facility, such that compatibility with this use and or reversibility of proposed interventions is an important criterion to consider in option development and selection,” the documents say.

The conference centre is one of the dead zones along Wellington Street Mayor Jim Watson points out when he talks about how the federal government has turned the district near Parliament into a dead zone — along with the empty former National Capital Commission information centre, the former U.S. embassy, and federal office buildings that have workers inside but don’t do anything for the streetscape. The federal government took the former train station over in the 1970s and uses it for big gatherings of public servants and occasional semi-public events like news conferences and open NCC board meetings.

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien wanted to turn it into a museum of Canadian political history but his successor Paul Martin kiboshed the idea. More recently, the city proposed at least linking the conference centre directly to the planned light-rail lane that’ll run practically underneath the building; the federal government said no.

At last report, in December, the Senate was due to move into the East Block on Parliament Hill in about 2017 as part of an emptying of Centre Block, where it and the House of Commons usually meet. With the middle building cleared out, a major renovation can take place. The Parliament Buildings are in terrible shape and experts who’ve worked on them say Centre Block could practically start falling apart in 2019 without the planned repairs.

Public Works is in charge of the massive project — work on buildings excluding Centre Block is expected to cost $1.6 billion, with estimates for repairs to the crown jewel yet to come. The department didn’t immediately respond to the Citizen’s inquiry about what changed in the plans for the Senate and why. This story will be updated with any answer.

dreevely@ottawacitizen.com

ottawacitizen.com/greaterottawa

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

J.OT13 · #2 Posted: **May 16, 2013, 10:22 PM**

I see they finally found a way to make it even less accessible to the public.

NOWINYOW · #3 Posted: **May 16, 2013, 10:44 PM**

I'm just over 50 years old. I have one memory of standing in that building, holding my fathers hand as a train approached. I remember the enormous size of the engine as it arrived. I remember the sounds within the waiting area and I even remember the scent of diesel as the train slowly came to a stop, just a few dozen feet from where I was standing. I also remember being in a train as we traveled beside the Rideau Canal. Jump ahead 20 years or so and I remember being in that building doing some work for a day or two. It was grand. It still is I think. I can't say for sure, because it's not accessible to the public. And now again, we the public are being left on the outside not able to look in. What a waste!

This makes me angry on so many levels. There are so many buildings in Ottawa The Senate of Canada could easily set up their kit to do whatever it is they do. This building has far greater historic value to Ottawa and the area then to be used solely by Parliamentarians.

It was my understanding the Parliament Centre Block was to be renovated in two phases. Phase one, The Senate side, was to be vacated while being renovated. The Senate was to move into the West Block, where the chamber was to be created in the current courtyard of the west block. The Senate was to then relocate back into it's current (and renovated) chamber so The House of Commons could relocate to where The Senate had been in the west block. The second half of the Centre Block was to be renovated at that time. If that time line holds true, then the old train station will house The Senate for a number of years then be transformed to The House of Commons for another few years.

The whole lot of them, Senate and H of C should be moved to one common area and get this renovation done! So what if they're on the 12th floor of some non-discript downtown building! The Feds built so many hideous buildings in this city, now is the time they should use what they built!

I want my train station back! Not as a train station obviously, but in some form that I can access.

J.OT13 · #4 Posted: **May 16, 2013, 11:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOWINYOW

I'm just over 50 years old. I have one memory of standing in that building, holding my fathers hand as a train approached. Jump ahead 20 years or so and I remember being in that building doing some work for a day or two. It was grand. It still is I think. I can't say for sure, because it's not accessible to the public. And now again, we the public are being left on the outside not able to look in. What a waste!

This makes me angry on so many levels. There are so many buildings The Senate of Canada could easily set up their kit to do whatever it is they do. This building has such important historic value to Ottawa and the area.

It was my understanding the Parliament Centre Block was to be renovated in two phases. Phase one, The Senate side, was to be vacated and renovated. Then The Senate was to move back in so The House of Commons would relocate to where The Senate had been, so that half of the Centre Block could be renovated. If that holds true, then the old train station will house The Senate for a number of Years then be transformed to The House of Commons for another few years.

The whole lot of them, Senate and H of C should be moved to one common area and get this renovation done! So what if they're on the 12th floor of some non-discript downtown building!

I want my train station back! Not as a train station obviously, but something that I at least can access.

You know what; THINK BIG ESTIE! I want my train station back!

I went there last year for Doors Open; the interior still looks the same as before; the only difference is a couple butt ugly 70s booths hanging from the ceiling of the great hall and a few walls chop up the main concourse. Tear down the 70s addition and replace it with a cool glass restaurant.

Meanwhile, the Senate and House of Commons can share a space in, as you suggested, a nondescript office tower. (That would also save the enormous cost of the pointless new house of commons in the west block courtyard.) Better yet, abolish the senate and save 100 million dollars.

NOWINYOW · #5 Posted: **May 16, 2013, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

You know what; THINK BIG ESTIE! I want my train station back!

I'd certainly go for that!!!

Capital Shaun · #6 Posted: **May 17, 2013, 12:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

You know what; THINK BIG ESTIE! I want my train station back!

I'd also go for that.

Admiral Nelson · #7 Posted: **May 17, 2013, 7:53 AM**

The GCC was open to the public last year for Doors Open Ottawa. If it's open again this year, you might want to visit while you've got the chance.

O-Town Hockey · #8 Posted: **May 17, 2013, 2:17 PM**

This irks me so much!!!! Such a gorgeous and centrally-located building, originally built for public use, should be restored to some form of public use. This is not the place for a temporay senate or house of commons! I wonder if there would be any chance that the Fed... I mean Harper Government would bow to public pressure?

J.OT13 · #9 Posted: **May 17, 2013, 4:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

This irks me so much!!!! Such a gorgeous and centrally-located building, originally built for public use, should be restored to some form of public use. This is not the place for a temporay senate or house of commons! I wonder if there would be any chance that the Fed... I mean Harper Government would bow to public pressure?

Ya, sure!

And maybe he'll take responsibility for all the scandals while he's at it!

rakerman · #10 Posted: **May 18, 2013, 12:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral Nelson

The GCC was open to the public last year for Doors Open Ottawa. If it's open again this year, you might want to visit while you've got the chance.

It's open. June 1 & June 2. 10am to 4pm.

http://ottawa.ca/sites/ottawa.ca/fil...sopen_en_0.pdf

NOWINYOW · #11 Posted: **May 18, 2013, 11:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Ya, sure!

And maybe he'll take responsibility for all the scandals while he's at it!

Given the current scandals within The Senate of Canada, NOW is the time to lobby the feds to TELL The Senate what they'll do...for the cheapest dollar amount! Some old warehouse out on Colonnade would suffice as a chamber for a couple of years. Or some floor of any current downtown building. The senators would still have the grey shuttle buses they can use to get back and forth.