Westboro Beach reopens with new café, boardwalk and river views
Paddleboards, fossil displays and fresh espresso now share space with volleyball courts and log play structures.
By Matteo Cimellaro, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jun 01, 2025 | Last updated 15 minutes ago
Politicians and excited community members gathered on a cloudy and cold June 1 morning to witness the much-anticipated opening of the revitalized Westboro Beach.
There was no swimming or lounging on the sand, as temperatures dipped to around 10 C. Windbreakers and gloves, rather than shorts, were worn by community members excited to see the new amenities and design of a beloved riverfront public space.
The new Westboro Beach is complete with pathways, a boardwalk and a riverfront lookout. The pavilion is also equipped with a new café, restaurant and renovations to the structures done by James Strutt.
The three triangular structures are a fixture of modern architecture, designed by the Strutt who was raised in Ottawa. The structures now include accessible toilets, a cafe and artworks by Christopher Griffin that represent the three tributaries that feed into the Ottawa River.
The Noire, the Dumoines and the Coulonge rivers, what the Algonquin call the “three sisters,” feed into the Ottawa River.
Tobi Nussbaum is the chief executive officer of the National Capital Commission, the organization that led the project development. In 2019, the NCC had an internal design competition that was won by two architects within the organization.
But then the pandemic arrived and construction timelines and costs increased. Five years later and the budget came in at around $21 million, including a $13.5 million contribution from the City of Ottawa, as part of a 2015 agreement for the LRT extension and the creation of a riverfront park.
“It was really done with a lot of public consultation to make sure that what we were doing responded to local interests and needs,” Nussbaum said. “We also wanted it to be a great capital destination; we think people will come near and far.”
During construction, fossils were discovered and the archaeological team was called in. Some of those fossils date back 500 million years and will be displayed in the building, Nussbaum said.
The Skead’s Mill ruins also remain as part of the riverfront lookout.
The new beach also includes beach volleyball courts, a historical-themed children’s play area and outdoor showers.
Joel Kowalski is the vice president of Wilderness Tours, an outdoor tour operator known for their white water rafting and other outdoor excursions up the Ottawa Valley. Wilderness tours are now the operators of the seasonal café at Westboro Beach, among other offerings.
In addition to serving coffee and drinks at the outdoor bar, Wilderness Tours will provide rentals for paddleboards, kayaks and beach chairs.
Wilderness Tours will also operate a canoe tour that will launch from the beach, up the shoreline to below Deschenes rapids to the Deschenes ruins and back to the beach. There will also be a three-and-a-half lazy river tube tour that will float with the current downstream to Onigam Street.
Kowalski says community members have been approaching Wilderness Tours as they’ve been “doing the fit up” for the location, excited for what activities the operator is bringing from North of the Valley.
“So we’re thrilled,” Kowalski said. “We’re excited to be here.”
The restaurant at the beach is currently still in development, but it will be operated by the same owners who run the Grand Pizzeria and Bar in the Byward Market. Nussbaum says the plan is to open the restaurant by Fall.
The building designs at Westboro Beach are also all net-zero certified, equipped with a geothermal system and low-carbon building materials.
Rick Robinson is a long-time Westboro resident living in the neighbourhood since 1982. He’s seen transitions and today’s transformation at the beach is “beautiful and spectacular in some ways,” he said.
In the past, Robinson would go down to the beach and read a book under a tree, watching beach-goers enjoy the water. Occasionally, Robinson would take a dip with the family. Now, he’s anticipating doing the same thing, but in a beautified environment.
“It’s a major, major addition to our neighborhood,” he said. “I think it’s very excellent.”
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/westboro-beach-reopens
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