NCC Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park Plan | In Progress
 

Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park Plan

The NCC is currently planning for the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park. This includes defining the long-term vision that will guide the conservation, enhancement and sustainable management of this riverfront park.

This park’s lands surround the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway along the shore of the majestic Ottawa River—a federally designated Canadian Heritage River. It is a wonderful scenic area where you can appreciate the beauty of our natural heritage, cultural landscapes and national institutions.

The NCC is the steward of federal lands in the National Capital Region. As such, it is responsible for protecting and preserving public places for all Canadians. This plan for the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park will enhance access to the river and animate key public spaces within the park.

• Video Link

About the plan

The park plan focuses on a 13-kilometre stretch of federal lands in Ottawa along the Ottawa River. From west to east, the area extends from Rideau Hall at Princess Avenue to the end of the parkway at St. Joseph Boulevard. It includes the parkway, pathways, trails, national cultural institutions and green spaces.

The goals of the plan:

• Promote and protect a healthy natural environment.
• Foster safe and continuous access to the park and the river.
• Celebrate the heritage, culture and diversity of the riverfront corridor.
• Create and promote diverse, balanced and engaging park experiences.

https://i.postimg.cc/cJWStYHg/GEC.jpg

Engagement

This process includes engagement with the public, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation and the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation, a public advisory committee, as well as stakeholders at key milestones in the planning process.

In fall 2021, the NCC held a public consultation on a vision for the park and suggestions on planning opportunities, as well as information about the challenges facing the park area. The input has informed the plan’s draft vision and preliminary concepts.

The second round of public and stakeholder engagement is ongoing. It focuses on preliminary concepts and goals for the park plan. This round consists of stakeholder meetings, an online consultation and a community open house.

The NCC aims to complete the plan in spring 2024 and to submit it for approval in summer 2024.

Process and Timeline

Phase 1 (completed)

Vision and guiding principles
Online public consultation: Fall 2021

Phase 2

Concept and goals
Public and stakeholder consultations: Winter 2023

Phase 3

Policies and sector plans
Public and stakeholder consultations: Fall 2023

Phase 4

Draft plan
Public consultation: Spring 2024

Phase 5

Plan approval: Summer 2024

https://ncc-website-2.s3.amazonaws.c..._Dec2_2021.pdf

https://ncc-website-2.s3.amazonaws.c...Report_eKB.pdf

Public consultation: https://www.placespeak.com/en/topic/...ce72#/overview

Some interesting comments emerging on that public consultation map.

Good interesting or bad interesting?

Both?

Oh cool this is new for Ottawa. Part of the River House Revitalization.
Now add something like that near Zibi or Parliament Hill.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FuKnzo8X...pg&name=medium

That is REALLY cool....but are Ottawan's allowed to actually ACCESS our waterways? I thought they were only for looking at or boating upon....

Nice! I can see this being incredibly popular.

I hope it's not just for club members or something :haha:

Yes, another idea to animate our City and provide different, fun activities for residents. But again, would probably never be approved or even thought of because, you know, Ottawa...

:hell::uhh:

The tweet says it's underway: https://twitter.com/NCC_CCN/status/1649064921978613760

Although it's not on the website: https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/projects/ncc-r...campaign=board

The other images of this project from that same tweet:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FuKnzoeW...pg&name=medium

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FuKnzoRW...pg&name=medium

This is great. At the moment, the east end only has Petrie, while the west has Westboro Beach and Britannia. Great addition!

NCC's Board Meeting summary page doesn't seem to have the same amount of resources. No links to the Presentations or Submissions that we usually have. Hopefully it was just a one time omission.

https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/events/public-...campaign=board

Well, now, that is something! Off to buy a snorkel!

I think this is such an under-rated project. Barely ever hear about it outside of this forum. How many times have we asked the NCC to improve accessibility to our waterfront? This does exactly that.

I did an Ottawa river cruise/tour thing and thought that building was very impressive from the river! Had no clue it existed.

this is cool

was trying to figure out how i had never registered that such a large, unique building existed, given that i used to cycle the rockcliffe parkway the occasional weekend
https://i.imgur.com/0ekx1U2h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0ekx1U2.jpg

but then i looked up pre-restoration photos on street view and it makes sense now :haha:

https://i.imgur.com/s3SjT8Kh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/s3SjT8K.jpg

Yeah, as much as some of us (raises both hands) crap on the NCC, the back-to-the-river philosophy has taken hold quicker, and with better results, than I would have expected.

It really does seem like the NCC is starting to shake their decades long reputation for a lack of progress. Between this, Westboro Beach, the bistros, the parkway plans on SJAM and SGEC, and even the closures of QED and CBD they are doing a great job of giving people places to go hang out and enjoy the beauty that Ottawa has.

Maybe they cut a few too many trees? Or is it a time of year thing? You do want to keep sightlines open to prevent peds from being mowed down by cars, so that's good. There's an obvious speed bump as well (not yet built when the Google Streetview was taken).

For sure. We're seeing actual progress all across town. The City is incrementally getting better thanks in large part to the NCC. Feels like they had dozens of projects in the pipeline with no progress for about 15 years until Kristmanson took the reigns.