Rogers Centre (Ottawa Convention Centre) | 30.45m | 4-5 fl | Completed - Page 8

harls · #**141** Posted **Oct 21, 2009, 5:26 PM**

Orange crane (Congress Centre), White (Claridge II)

waterloowarrior · #**142** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 8:38 PM**

by southfacing Oct 25
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23575605@N08/4048139086/

waterloowarrior · #**143** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 10:44 PM**

Didn't realize there was a webcam

http://ottawaconventioncentre.com/en/media-centre/construction-webcam

There are construction pictures there as well, sometimes I've seen people on the MacKing bridge taking photos.

Some info for the thread title.

I guess the new name is the "Ottawa Convention Centre"
The height is 30.45 m and the floor count is 4 (or 5 if you include the mechanical area)
http://ottawaconventioncentre.com/_files...wings/Building-SectionsandElevations.pdf

waterloowarrior · #**144** Posted **Nov 18, 2009, 11:58 PM**

Proposed tunnel would link new convention centre with Conference Centre.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Proposed+tu...ith+Conference+Centre/2238309/story.html

BY PATRICK DARE , THE OTTAWA CITIZENNOVEMBER 18, 2009 6:43 PMBE THE FIRST TO POST A COMMENT

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Convention Centre is proposing to build a tunnel to link its new building with the Government Conference Centre.

The National Capital Commission’s planning staff briefed its board of directors Wednesday about the plan, saying the tunnel would be the first of two underground pedestrian links between important buildings in that part of downtown. A second tunnel link could later be built under the Rideau Canal, connecting the Conference Centre with the National Arts Centre.

Patrick Kelly, president of the Ottawa Convention Centre, said his group is bringing the project to the federal and provincial governments because now is the time to build a pedestrian link if it’s ever going to be done.

The old Ottawa Congress Centre on Colonel By Drive has been demolished and the new Ottawa Convention Centre is being built, including an entirely new treatment of the road with one lane eliminated and two pedestrian crossings added. New greenspace along Colonel By will include a stand of trees and benches by the Rideau Canal.

Kelly said the tunnel between the convention centre and the conference centre — the historic Union Station opened by prime minister Wilfrid Laurier — would cost between $9 million and $10 million.

That cost isn’t part of the convention project, so would require federal and provincial funding.

“The response so far has been encouraging,” said Kelly. But he said the approval would have to come soon because construction must be completed for the opening of the new centre in 16 months.

The board of the NCC, which has members from across Canada, appeared interested in the tunnel idea. The board approved the landscaping project, which is the NCC’s responsibility. Board member Jacquelin Holzman said the idea of pedestrian linkages among important downtown buildings went back many years.

Former NCC chairman Jean Pigott, who said such a project was important for visitors of such a northern capital city, most passionately advocated the concept and commissioned a study on it.

Holzman noted that the federal government built a wooden pedestrian linkage between the conference centre and the NAC for one international conference. She said pedestrian linkages are important for both tourists and convention delegates.

Linda Dicaire, senior manager of design review with the NCC, said issues such as lighting and ventilation would have to be worked out. She said it was important that any tunnel be “a connection that is pleasing and that people want to use.”

There is a long-established pedestrian tunnel between the Chateau Laurier and the Government Conference Centre that has been well used for years. As well, the convention centre will have a strong pedestrian link to the Westin Hotel and the Rideau Centre.

— Brown, president of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association, said the tunnel project makes a lot of sense.

“We just think it’s an opportunity,” said Brown. “It starts the underground community for Ottawa.”

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Radster · #**145** Posted **Nov 19, 2009, 7:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Holzman noted that the federal government built a wooden pedestrian linkage between the conference centre and the NAC for one international conference.

WHAT??? A wooden pedestrian for one international conference?? Why can't people just walk outside using the existing routes? LOL

Ottawan · #**146** Posted **Nov 22, 2009, 5:28 AM**

Hmmm... quite similar to what I was proposing in this thread.
The Sandy Hill/ByWard Market to Hurdman Transit Solutions Thread

Pedestrian tunnel linkages are definately the way to go in this area, but I do hope that if these tunnels get built, they do with connections to the Rideau subway (yes, I'm not afraid to use that term upon occasion) station in mind.

WadiRum · #**147** Posted **Nov 22, 2009, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radster

WHAT??? A wooden pedestrian for one international conference?? Why can't people just walk outside using the existing routes? LOL

Because it is A LOT more comfortable and pleasant to walk indoors at - 30 degrees! No winter boots required

! And, you can dress up

with no worries. Plus if they would transform the tunnel in an art gallery, that would be indeed great! Montreal has a pretty nice underground city. It is so enjoyable and most practical during the winter. We could have something similar here. Why not?

waterloowarrior · #**148** Posted **Dec 1, 2009, 6:34 PM**

New Ottawa convention centre on track, committee told
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Ot...+track+committee+told/2289996/story.html

THE OTTAWA CITIZENDECEMBER 1, 2009 1:03 PMBE THE FIRST TO POST A COMMENT

OTTAWA — Ottawa's new convention centre is on schedule and on budget, a city council committee was told on Tuesday.

The centre, scheduled to open in April 2011, has booked 40 conventions and is looking at getting 20 more, the corporate services and economic development committee heard in an update from consultant Graham Bird and Patrick Kelly, president of the Ottawa Convention Centre.

It's being built at a cost of about $160 million on the site of the torn-down Ottawa Congress Centre, along the Rideau Canal by the Rideau Centre.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

amanfromnowhere · #**149** Posted **Dec 2, 2009, 5:11 PM**

just interesting where those hotels will be built...

Quote:

New convention centre could face surcharges
Councillors seek parking, liquor surcharges
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 CBC News

Extra charges for parking and liquor could face delegates who attend one of the dozens of meetings booked at Ottawa's new convention centre when it opens in 2011.

Coun. Marianne Wilkinson said she is looking into ways to help recoup some of the $40 million borrowed by the city to help fund construction of the $170-million facility being built at the downtown site formerly occupied by the Ottawa Congress Centre. Taxpayers are kicking in another $50 million through the federal government and $50 million through the provincial government.

"The building itself is tax exempt," Wilkinson said. "So we get no income at all for our $40 million. And starting next year, we are going to have to pay out millions every year for 20 years to pay that off."

Wilkinson's suggestions include imposing surcharges on parking, meals and liquor.

"These are things we'll explore," she said Tuesday.

The site is still largely wood framing, arranged near concrete platforms supporting metal scaffolding, interspersed with cranes and other machines.

Graham Bird, development manager for the site, said it's partway through a transformation.

"At the end of the day we've got a spectacular crystal form that's about 350 feet [107 metres] in length and 110 feet [34 metres] high — it's curvilinear in all directions," he said. "So it's really going to be something we'll all be proud of, I think — it'll be fun."

The centre is on schedule to open in April 2011 and remains on budget. When completed, it will be about 200,000 square feet — three times larger than the previous centre — opening the door to the types of events the old site couldn't handle.

Political conventions
Pat Kelly, president of the centre, said he has been talking to national political parties about their annual conventions.

"We haven't been able to hold a large national political party convention in this city for decades," he said, "and that kind of activity will commence just as soon as we open."

Kelly reported the facility has already signed contracts with 40 conventions and is close to signing with 20 others.

"That rate of booking at this stage in the process is very encouraging," he added.

He said the centre is in talks with two major hotel chains that will soon announce plans to build 600-room hotels to meet the demands of the new convention centre. Overall, he predicts the centre will generate 3,000 jobs for the city and bring in $30 million a year in economic activity.

rakerman · #**150** Posted **Dec 4, 2009, 12:46 AM**

holy man, that is a gigantic fricking crane

bad pic through window during rainstorm with people reflected in window badly retouched out, but you get the idea

RTWAP · #**151** Posted **Dec 4, 2009, 2:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rakerman

bad pic through window during rainstorm with people reflected in window badly retouched out, but you get the idea

I thought is was just one of those extremely rare square clouds.

reidjr · #**152** Posted **Dec 10, 2009, 12:59 AM**

Are there going to 2 hotels or one hotel with 600 rooms.

Davis137 · #**153** Posted **Dec 11, 2009, 1:37 AM**

The crane is massive for the location...I don't understand why it's got to be so big...

waterloowarrior · #**154** Posted **Dec 19, 2009, 11:06 PM**

That crane is 280 ft (85.3 m) tall!

LOCAL HISTORY TO BECOME A PART OF THE NEW OCC
http://ottawaconventioncentre.com/en/media-centre/media-releases/2009-12-17

The Ottawa Convention Centre will open April 2011 and is in the process of building a facility that will achieve LEED Silver designation. Canada’s Meeting Place has undertaken practices to create a clean, green, eco-friendly facility that will adhere to strict sustainable practices and create memorable meetings for delegates with a team of inspired people creating extraordinary events.

One of the very innovative features being created is a towering 13 story wall that will be made entirely of reclaimed wood from the Ottawa River, which spans across the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The Ottawa Convention Centre believes in corporate social responsibility and being an eco-friendly convention centre. That responsibility includes utilizing local resources, and supporting the local economy. Therefore, a partnership has been formed with Logs End, and students from Algonquin College to build this iconic piece of Canada’s Meeting Place.

Logs End is a company ahead of its time using history as its eco-friendly product. During the logging era of the 19th century, a major industry for Quebec and Ontario, the Ottawa River was used as a major conduit for the logging industry to transport “old growth wood” to milling companies along the river banks for over a hundred years beginning in the early 1800’s. The river originates in Lake Capimitchigama, Quebec and extends to the Chaudiere Falls in the Ottawa-Gatineau region where it then tumbles into the Rideau and Gatineau rivers. It is a total distance of 1,271 km (790 miles) and clearly defines the borders of two great Canadian provinces. Over the course of a hundred plus years when the logging industry was a major component of the local economy thousands of logs never made it to the logging mills and sunk to the bottom of the river. “These “old growth” logs have been preserved over time in pristine state” according to Steve McCord, VP Sales & Marketing, “These logs were part of virgin forests that only received a couple of hours of sunlight a day so it took them hundreds of years to mature. This along with mineral deposits from the water in the Ottawa River gives them the character that you see today in our planks. These logs are frozen in time as good as the day they were cut.”

“We are recycling wood that has already been harvested from local forests” states Mr. McCord. “The eco footprint of our product is very small compared to importing wood from other areas. The work of cutting the old growth trees was already done 100 of years ago…and they were so well preserved and safe from rot and worms.” The reclaimed wood has historical significance and can tell stories from hundreds of years ago. The mineral deposits from the water in the river resonates incredible colours in these “old growth” logs. The character of this lumber is far superior to that of today’s wooden planks that are harvested from forests that are generally only 30-40 years old.

To acquire the “old growth” wood Logs End uses several approaches. They utilize old logging maps from National Archives, spot dives in areas known for mass production and scouting dives as well. Once located a diver will rope each log individually, and pull them up off of the bottom of the river and secure them to a boat. This limits any damage to the ecological stability of the area and damage to the log as it will not be dragged along the riverbed. Up to 50 logs can be roped in one dive and hauled onto shore. They are then transported to the Logs End mill in Bristol, Quebec were they are dried and then milled into wide plank flooring, mouldings, paneling and trim for sale. Logs End prides itself on being a very eco-friendly organization with a “Zero” waste policy. “All waste is utilized” according to Mr. McCord, “it is sold to local farmers as bed shavings for cattle, manufactured into wood chips for gardens or burned in our furnace to heat our facility”.

The Ottawa Convention Centre is using Logs End products to incorporate these incredible pieces of local history and create a 13 story wall that will tower through all four floors and above the roof. The preparation of the Logs End planks will take place as part of a partnership with students from construction programs at Algonquin College. According to Jeremy Anderson, Acting Academic Chair of the School of Transportation and Trades, teams of volunteer students will convert the planed planks into panels that are easy to transport and mount on this 13 story wall. “It is a great opportunity for students to get involved in a major project for the city of Ottawa, to build their resume and portfolio and utilize experiential learning, an important component of the academic curriculum.”

“The Ottawa Convention Centre is proud of its ability to support the development of local business, utilizing eco-friendly sustainable unique products such as the Logs End planks and support students in their academic endeavours” said Pat Kelly, President of the Ottawa Convention Centre.