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LeBreton Flats do-over starts with clean slate

LeBreton Flats do-over starts with clean slate

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is shuffling how it plans the latest development of LeBreton Flats.

Unlike the previous attempt, when it asked the public what it thought of a short list of proposals for the former industrial land just west of Ottawa's core, the NCC is going to the people earlier.

Nearly 300 people attended the NCC's first public consultation on redeveloping LeBreton Flats Tuesday night at the Canadian War Museum, just months after the deal with the Ottawa Senators-backed RendezVous LeBreton Group fell through.

The director of the project said they first want to understand what Ottawans want to see at the site.

"From that we're going to be creating this master concept plan for the whole site, which is going to guide development over the years," Katie Paris said.

Idil Mussa/BC
Idil Mussa/BC

The NCC wants to get the city to approve that master plan in 2020, which would designate areas of LeBreton Flats for different uses such as housing, office space, parks, plazas and open spaces, Paris said.

It could then request proposals and be ready to start construction in 2022 — a year after its goal to start building on a specific section of land near Albert and Booth streets.

The NCC has also drafted a set of guiding principles to help steer the site's development over time.

"Bringing a new signature use to LeBreton Flats [and] not wasting the opportunity that this amazing site offers," Paris said.

"Valuing nature [and] putting in place really high sustainability goals … Building a neighbourhood that's going to be resilient to climate change over time … [and] creating community, which means a diverse community."

The site covers 23.9 hectares and will be served by light rail at Bayview and Pimisi stations.

'Right mix of people and jobs and shops'

Michael Powell, president of the Dalhousie Community Association, attended the consultation and said he thinks the NCC's approach will allow for a more "gradual development" process that doesn't cater to the needs of any one developer.

"What I want to see is an effective and functioning community — what was replaced 55, 60 years ago. And I think ... what makes a place vital is the right mix of people and jobs and shops, so it's going to have to have residences, it's going to have to have good public space that works ... that will be connected to the rest of the community," Powell said.

"I want us to be ambitious, and I want us to try something that we have perhaps not seen in other places."

Eric Darwin, who writes a blog about the surrounding neighbourhood, also attended the consultation. He was pleased to see the NCC displaying international midrise and highrise developments as inspiration.

"We are no longer looking at urban developments that are centered around townhouses or stacked townhouses. You're starting with seven-storey apartment buildings and then putting towers in between them," Darwin said.

"In order to achieve things like energy efficiency and carbon neutrality and the sort of population density you want to make vibrant sidewalks, you're not going to get that building townhouses."

Idil Mussa/CBC
Idil Mussa/CBC

Community ideas

Ron Melchers lives in the area and said he's not interested in having an NHL arena at the site, as was the plan last time around.

Instead, he'd like the redevelopment to be an extension of the community that already exists.

"I'd like to see the natural setting preserved to some extent and enhanced," he said.

Kristy Nease/CBC
Kristy Nease/CBC

Sarah Zaman also lives nearby and doesn't want an arena on the site either.

"I'm hoping that it's … well integrated with the surrounding communities [and] that it doesn't just sort of stand alone on its own," she said.

Zaman said she'd like to see the site cater to young families as well as younger residents who are moving into the area.

Westboro resident Jane Lindsay said she wants the new development to reflect the city and what the capital ought to represent to the rest of the country.

"I would like — if at all possible — for it to be a model of green development," she said. "Canada needs to take a stand on this … we're behind some other countries now."

Idil Mussa/CBC
Idil Mussa/CBC

Lindsay said although consulting the public can be challenging, it's important and necessary.

"I know there's tradeoffs, but I think it's vital to err on the side of the consulting, the over-explaining and being willing to honestly answer questions because that's what gets you buy-in," she said.

The NCC has also posted an online survey for residents to fill out until July 2 at midnight.