NCC - General Updates

[monkeybongo]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

That's what every NCC document of the past 30 or 40 years is.

Capital Illumination Plan ... seems like there's joke about how many NCC employees it takes to change a lightbulb.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Do we need monuments or open spaces on all four corners of that intersection? Plus the firefighters monument is out of picture to the left. That's excessive. It would be nice to have some buildings with some retail space along the sidewalk.

Those are to protect the Parliament sight lines.



http://www.westsideaction.com/on-a-clear-day-council-can-see-forever/

Buildings on those corners would be very low and out-of-place. Not for or against, just stating the facts.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by monkeybongo

Capital Illumination Plan ... seems like there's joke about how many NCC employees it takes to change a lightbulb.

We actually *could* use a little bit of leadership to reduce light pollution. Holy crow, Ottawa businesses and institutions love wasting money throwing expensive electricity in photon form up onto the undersides of clouds.

[rocketphish]

Marc Seaman to be named as new NCC chair
Shaw Centre chair, Microsoft executive with board experience appears to be federal government's choice

By Joanne Chianello, CBC News
Posted: May 18, 2017 4:37 PM ET Last Updated: May 18, 2017 5:09 PM ET

A local Microsoft executive appears to be the federal government's choice for the next National Capital Commission chairman, CBC News has learned.

Marc Seaman is expected to be named to the job vacated by Russ Mills at the end of April.

Neither the NCC nor the office of Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly would comment on the upcoming appointment.

Seaman is fluently bilingual and attended high school in Ottawa, after which he earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Ottawa, according to his Facebook account.

Seaman, who could not be contacted immediately, lists his current position at Microsoft as general manager, education segment, although he has previously been the national director of corporate communications of the company.

He is also the current chairman of the board of the Shaw Centre, a position he's held since 2013.

When the government put out a call for applications for NCC chair earlier this year, it listed several criteria, including that applicants have "bilingual proficiency" and experience on a board of directors — preferably as a chairperson.

According to his biography on the Shaw Centre website, Seaman has sat on numerous boards for local organizations, from the University of Ottawa to the Boys and Girls Club of Canada. He was a member of the board of governors for the Ottawa Hospital from 2012 to May 2016.

However, the choice of Seaman falls somewhat short in other categories.

The government's application for the position stated they may give preference to someone who is a woman, an Indigenous Canadian, a person with a disability or member of a visible minority.

There has not been a woman in the chair's position at the NCC since Jean Piggott stepped down in 1992. In fact, she's the only woman chair in the history of the NCC.

And as the NCC is the largest land-holder in the capital region, the application suggested that understanding land deals would also be an asset.

In all likelihood, Seaman will continue to work at Microsoft while he serves as chair.

Seaman will be only the second person to serve at the helm of the NCC since the jobs of chief executive officer and chair have been split.

Mills, who was appointed by former foreign affairs minister John Baird, was the first chair under the new executive format. And while he served in other roles in the city, Mills was largely retired from full-time work when he was chair.

Seaman is much younger, and the NCC chair's position isn't a full-time one: it pays an annual retainer of $8,000 to $9,400, with a per diem of $310 to $375.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/marc-seaman-to-be-named-ncc-chair-1.4121856

[rocketphish]

Some NCC paths damaged by flooding closed until 2018
NCC says severity of damage means paths are unsafe to use until they are rebuilt.

By: Alex Abdelwahab, Metro
Published on Thu Jun 22 2017

Three of the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) multi-use pathways on both sides of the river will remain closed until spring 2018.

The affected pathways include the Parliament Hill section of the Ottawa River Pathway, the Voyageurs Pathway from the Portage Bridge to the Canadian Museum of History, and Gatineau Park’s Lac-des-Fées Pathway.

Marc Corriveau, director of Ontario Urban Lands and Greenbelt, said the flooding in May caused major damage to the shoreline and there are sinkholes in many areas. As for the pathway in Gatineau Park, Corriveau said, it has been completely washed away.

He said the damage is so extensive they will basically have to do a total rebuild of the pathways, which will require a tendering process and an environmental assessment. He estimates the projects may cost around half a million dollars each.

“We want to build it to better standards also so that in the future if we get floods, well we won’t be in this position again,” he said.

The NCC made repairs to some sections of the pathway between Parliament Hill last year, and Corriveau said those sections withstood the flood, they intend to bring the other paths to the same standard.

Most of the NCC’s pathways and assets affected by the flood have already been reopened.

http://www.metronews.ca/news/ottawa/2017...maged-by-flooding-closed-until-2018.html

[rocketphish]

Directors ask whether NCC should be in the camping business

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 29, 2017 | Last Updated: June 29, 2017 12:07 PM EDT

Board directors questioned if the National Capital Commission should be in the camping business while considering a proposed $5.9-million upgrade to the campground at Lac Philippe.

“I don’t think our core business is campgrounds,” Brian Coburn said during a board meeting Thursday.

“When we make a choice to spend $6 million, we make a choice not to spend it on something else,” Carol Loughrey said.

But Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, defending the NCC’s interest in camping, pointed out the agency is also in the skating business, which has become one of the most significant NCC programs.

Board chairman Marc Seaman agreed with director Bob Plamondon that doing nothing isn’t an option.

The condition of the Lac Philippe campground first came to the NCC board in January 2016, but the commission asked staff to compile more information on the visitor statistics and campground operations.

There are 244 campsites and three group sites at the campground. The sites are fairly basic; they don’t have water, electrical and sewer services, but most campers surveyed by the NCC expect to have drinkable water and electricity on their sites.

The campground has had an occupancy rate between 40 per cent and 50 per cent over the past three years. Things improved last summer.

On the financial front, the campground experiences an operational loss, but the NCC is projecting to at least break even by the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

The NCC toyed with the ideas of closing the campground, privatizing it or doing nothing, but staff recommended modernizing the sites to increase visitors and rake in $386,000 in added annual revenue.

Most of the board voted for more research. It approved spending $200,000 on a design, financial and feasibility study, but it will take another year to complete.

The board was also scheduled to consider a “museum park” plan for the Canadian Science and Technology Museum and a landscape plan for the Government Conference Centre across from the Chateau Laurier. The meeting will last into the afternoon.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...er-ncc-should-be-in-the-camping-business

[rocketphish]

NCC estimates shoreline flood damage will cost $3.4 million to repair
Repairs may have an impact on other projects, board of directors hears

By: Alex Abdelwahab, Metro
Published on Mon Jul 03 2017



At the height of the flooding in May, more than 20 kilometres of the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) pathways were underwater, the commission's board of directors heard last week.

In some cases, the paths were submerged by four or five feet of water, Gary Lacey, executive director of capital stewardship told the board.

Numerous parking lots and parks were also greatly affected, he added.

He said 17 kilometres of pathways have been reopened, but the three kilometres that remain closed include the section of pathway right behind the Parliament buildings.

“This spring we not only had record water levels but also record velocity, which when you combine makes a very heavy impact on the shores and the waterways of any region,” he said.

The Champlain Bridge parking lot and Leamy Lake Park and beach were also damaged. The electrical system for Leamy Lake’s facilities will have to be completely replaced.

Marc Corriveau, director of urban lands and transportation, told the board the current estimate for the repairs is $3.4 million.

“These repairs may impact some of our ongoing capital projects,” he said, adding that the tenders will be going out by the end of this week.

Repairs will begin late August or early September.



http://www.metronews.ca/news/ottawa/2017...amage-will-cost-3-million-to-repair.html

[rocketphish]

Audit exposes NCC's troubles maintaining assets to an acceptable level

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: August 24, 2017 | Last Updated: August 24, 2017 4:03 PM EDT

A special examination by the auditor general found that the National Capital Commission has a “significant deficiency” in asset maintenance, as the agency mulls the future of the prime minister’s official residence and struggles to keep a key Ottawa bridge from breaking down.

Twenty-seven per cent of the agency’s assets were in fair, poor or critical condition when the Office of the Auditor General was working on a special examination of the NCC between Feb. 1, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2016.

“This significant deficiency matters because if the corporation’s assets continue to deteriorate, it might not meet its mandate, and the assets could cause health and safety issues,” according to the audit report, which the NCC released Thursday.

On top of that, the NCC’s own analysis showed it might not be able to maintain and preserve its assets to an “acceptable level” in the future.

The agency doesn’t have enough money to keep its assets in good working order.

The NCC agrees it needs to work with the federal government to get additional money and notes it hasn’t received an increase in funding, other than for one-off programs, since the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

According to NCC spokesman Nicholas Galletti, the agency’s capital budget has decreased by about $6 million in recent years because of government cuts and the transfer of some responsibilities, such as Winterlude and Canada Day events, to Canadian Heritage.

The agency has analyzed what it would take to bring its assets up to snuff and hired a consultant to take a second look. The NCC says by the fall, it will have an idea how much money it needs to restore and maintain its assets.

“This is something we’re going to be addressing in the coming months,” Galletti said.

There are high-profile examples of the NCC’s inability to keep up with repairs.

The prime minister’s official residence at 24 Sussex Drive is in such a state of disrepair that Justin Trudeau and his family are living in a house on the grounds of Rideau Hall.

Galletti said the official residences are generally in good condition, with the exception of 24 Sussex Drive. The NCC still doesn’t have a timeline of when it will make the necessary fixes and upgrades.

Although the aging Hog’s Back swing bridge is considered in “fair” condition, traffic has been stymied so many times by the wonky crossing that a city councillor has asked the NCC to explain why the bridge keeps breaking down.

No thanks to Mother Nature, the NCC just can’t catch a break.

It had to close its paths on both sides of the Ottawa River earlier this year after the spring floods damaged the trails. The park at Lac Leamy also took a hit, with several pieces of infrastructure destroyed from the rising waters.

The assets considered to be in the most dire need of repairs include pathways in the Greenbelt, infrastructure along Confederation Boulevard, O’Brien House in Gatineau Park and infrastructure in the urban parks, such as Major’s Hill Park.

Galletti said 75 per cent of the NCC’s roads haven’t received major work since the 1980s. The agency plans to resurface the Portage Bridge this fall and will be holding public consultations on the design.

The NCC’s problem of suitably taking care of its assets is the clear highlight in the auditor’s special examination. The agency is required to be subjected to a special examination at least once every 10 years.

Auditors scrutinized six areas of the NCC: corporate governance; strategic planning, risk management and performance management and reporting; national capital long-term planning; capital project management; asset management and protection; and business process transformation.

The audit reviewed a random sample of 51 assets under the NCC’s oversight.

According to the NCC’s analysis, 10 per cent of its assets were in poor or critical condition at the time of the review, with another 17 per cent of assets in fair condition.

The audit also found weaknesses in the NCC’s risk management. The agency’s board of directors and management didn’t receive comprehensive risk information before making decisions, the audit says.

In the 2007 special examination, auditors discovered that the NCC’s restoration projects for assets were not always done on time because of a lack of funding.

And now this year, “we found that the corporation continued to have a risk of insufficient resources to restore, maintain, and preserve its assets at an acceptable level,” the audit says.

The NCC vows to have a risk management framework in place by March 31, 2018.

While the NCC has tried to generate more revenue and reduce costs, the initiatives haven’t been making a big impact.

The audit wasn’t all doom and gloom.

Auditors concluded that the NCC has good management practices in its operations, and when it comes to managing environmental risks, the NCC met the criteria used to assess and reduce environmental impacts.

The audit also found that the NCC does a good job of routinely consulting with municipalities and the public.

The NCC owns and manages 537 square kilometres of land, making it the largest landowner in the region.

The audit report, which was sent to the NCC in June, will be tabled in Parliament.

NCC responsibilities, by the numbers:

• 1,700 real estate properties
• 1,000 buildings
• 300 kilometres of pathways
• 125 kilometres of parkways
• 145 bridges, including 2 interprovincial bridges
• 65 commemorations and public art displays
• 125 interpretive panels and commemorative plaques
• 13 urban parks
• 6 official residences
• Gatineau Park
• Canada’s Capital Greenbelt
• 3,200 various other assets (drainage systems, culverts, retaining walls, and electrical, mechanical and water systems)

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...aintaining-assets-to-an-acceptable-level

[MountainView]

"Canada's Capital Greenbelt"

I wonder how much money they could make by selling some of this for development vis-a-vis the income from farm land rent.

[Buggys]

They could also charge a lot more than $1 for 99 years of land use.

[dougvdh]

Charging an entry fee to the Gatineau Park, road-pricing the parkways, paid parking at NCC lots in the city should also be considered.

[acottawa]

They could quit hoarding "future development sites"

[rocketphish]

National Capital Commission names new ombudsman

Paula McCooey, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: September 7, 2017 | Last Updated: September 7, 2017 2:06 PM EDT

A new ombudsman has been appointed to the National Capital Commission to oversee concerns raised by the public.

Kevin Saville is president of KSAR & Associates Inc., a Canadian management consulting firm and former senior civil servant with the federal and Quebec governments.

He began his NCC term on Aug. 1.

“The appointment of Mr. Saville is part of the NCC’s continued commitment to fostering an open and transparent relationship with Canadians and excellence in serving the public,” Marc Seaman, chair of the board of directors, National Capital Commission said in a release.

The NCC ombudsman is a part-time job under a three-year contract that can be renewed for two additional years.

The mandate of the NCC ombudsman is to provide members of the public with an independent, confidential, neutral and equitable mechanism for resolving complaints when all other avenues of administrative redress have been exhausted.

Saville is the third person to hold the position since it was created in 2008.

The position was first filled in September 2008 by Laura Bruneau, and then in 2012 by Ellen Fry, whose term ended on July 31, 2017.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/national-capital-commission-names-new-ombudsman

[rocketphish]

National Capital Commission mulls asset deficit

James Bagnall, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: September 11, 2017 | Last Updated: September 11, 2017 10:54 PM EDT

It’s easy to forget what a vast, sprawling enterprise is the National Capital Commission, the 58 year-old federal crown corporation at the heart of the national capital region.

Unlike other federal crown companies such as Canada Post, the NCC lacks an imposing headquarters operation. Instead, it makes its presence felt in other ways. Pieces of the NCC touch just about everyone living here — from the interprovincial bridges and 15 urban parks to pedestrian walkways and 1,600-plus properties. In all, the NCC last year had land valued at $300 million and managed $744 million worth of buildings and infrastructure.

NCC chief executive Mark Kristmanson Tuesday evening noted that the NCC’s base of assets matters to Ottawa and Gatineau, not just because it contributes to a better quality of life but because it also attracts tourists and business conventioneers. He added this is why NCC’s budget quandary is important. The problem: the government for years has not been replenishing the capital sufficiently to keep things fresh. “We’ve been deferring maintenance,” he said during the NCC’s annual public meeting in downtown Ottawa.

Consider that nearly 60 per cent of the cost of the NCC’s buildings and infrastructure has already depreciated, one reason why historical properties such the Prime Minister’s Residence at 24 Sussex Drive are in such deplorable condition.

Kristmanson said a top priority in the coming year, along with negotiating a contract for the Lebreton Flats redevelopment project, is to bump up capital spending, something for which he and new NCC chairman Marc Seamon are lobbying in the current federal budget cycle. The NCC is unusually dependent on federal largesse because it generates only a limited amount of revenue through renting properties and charging user fees. Nearly 70 per cent of its spending last year was covered by government funding — $67.8 million to pay for operating expenses (and a staff of 400 plus) and $22.4 million for capital assets.

Last month, a special examination by the auditor general noted the NCC had a “significant deficiency” when it came to maintaining its assets, noting that more than one-quarter of the Commission’s assets were not in good condition.

Like other federal departments, the NCC has been struggling with federal budget freezes for years. It may prove difficult for Kristmanson to persuade the federal cabinet that his entire capital base requires upgrading, in which case consultations with the public in the coming year could prove more interesting than usual as the NCC tries to determine what historical and other properties should be given priority.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/national-capital-commission-mulls-asset-deficit

[rocketphish]

Afghanistan war memorial site next to Canadian War Museum stirs controversy

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: September 12, 2017 | Last Updated: September 12, 2017 4:19 PM EDT

<snip>

NCC board approves illumination plan

The board approved a capital illumination plan that has been in the works for several years.

The NCC wants to use strategic lighting to dramatically animate the central area, or in the agency’s words, “enhance the capital’s nocturnal landscape.”

The right lighting, the agency believes, could give the capital more character.

An illumination plan was first proposed in Canada’s Capital Core Area Sector Plan in 2005. Public consultations have been happening since 2014.

With the board’s approval on Tuesday, the NCC will now implement strategic lighting on federal projects and encourage municipalities to consider the illumination plan during their own planning processes.

Priority projects include Richmond Landing, Rideau Hall, Nepean Point, Confederation Park and the Sussex Courtyards.

Kristmanson said the 10-year illumination plan already has a good start with federal projects downtown, such as the Government Conference Centre rehabilitation, giving thought to interesting lighting.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...to-canadian-war-museum-stirs-controversy

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

With the board’s approval on Tuesday, the NCC will now implement strategic lighting on federal projects and encourage municipalities to consider the illumination plan during their own planning processes.

So much for the NCC trying to combat light pollution.

Also: how many monuments are going into the Lebreton area?

[rocketphish]

Rebuild of Ottawa River pathways going well: NCC
Commission hopeful Ottawa side will open soon, but Quebec side construction won't start until next summer.

By: Ryan Tumilty, Metro
Published on Tue Sep 12 2017

The NCC is hopeful pathways behind Parliament Hill can open relatively soon, but those on the north shore of the river will take longer.

The Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the commission's board, updated the rest of the board on the pathways, which spent weeks under water during this spring’s flooding, at a board meeting.

Kristmanson said work to repair the section behind the parliament buildings is underway and he’s hopeful it won’t be closed for too much longer.

“The work is going well. It started quickly,” he said. “It’s being built to a higher standard to resist any future floods.”

He couldn’t put an exact date on when the path will re-open, but said they were aiming for as soon as possible.

Kristmanson said areas the commission upgraded in recent years to deal with potentially higher water levels faired relatively well during the floods, but older sections didn’t fare so well.

The Voyageur Pathway on the Gatineau side of the river will take longer to repair, however.

Kristmanson said work there will take place next summer, because of the damage and because they need to do more work with adjacent landowners than the Ontario side of the river.

“We’re putting in more temporary solutions and a detour until we can get the work done.”

He said overall the NCC will be looking to make sure the rebuilt paths can stand the damage from what could be more consistent and heavier floods in the future.

“What goes back should be more resilient it shouldn’t just be replaced.”

http://www.metronews.ca/news/ottawa/2017/09/12/rebuild-of-ottawa-river-pathways-going-well-ncc.html

[OTSkyline]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

[B]Afghanistan war memorial site next to Canadian War Museum stirs controversy

An illumination plan was first proposed in Canada’s Capital Core Area Sector Plan in 2005. Public consultations have been happening since 2014.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news...to-canadian-war-museum-stirs-controversy

This just goes to show how useless and incredibly slow the NCC is at implementing anything... It's been 12 years they have been "discussing" "illuminating" the Capital? i.e installing or upgrading lighting in the city core. Urgh...

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

This just goes to show how useless and incredibly slow the NCC is at implementing anything... It's been 12 years they have been "discussing" "illuminating" the Capital? i.e installing or upgrading lighting in the city core. Urgh...

Twelve years is "fast" in NCC years.

[rocketphish]

Gatineau's historic Moore Farm to reopen with fresh funding

Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: March 2, 2018 | Last Updated: March 2, 2018 1:56 PM EST



Months after the rain washed away its income and forced it to close, the Moore Farm in Gatineau is about to reopen thanks to fresh support and better drainage.

The historic farm is a familiar sight on Tâché Boulevard east of the Champlain Bridge, with a big red-and-white building set back from the road and up a hill.

It closed several months ago because of a cash shortfall.

Now Sylvain Bertrand, president of the co-operative that runs the farm, says it should reopen in the next few weeks for rentals by everything from small groups to wedding parties.

“We also have a bistro that will be open on weekends in the next few weeks,” he said.

The farm produces organic vegetables on 38 acres of land, and two years ago it struggled through a drought and still managed to earn $55,000 from sales.

But last year’s rains washed out the vegetables. Sales were only one-third of the previous year’s total, and the place had to close for the winter.

On Friday, Bertrand said funding has firmed up, and the land itself is solidifying as well.

The City of Gatineau has applied to the provincial government for permission to give the farm a property tax exemption, and the area’s councillor, Jocelyn Blondin, has chipped in $25,000 from his discretionary budget.

As well, new drainage work by the National Capital Commission will make the land less vulnerable to flooding during heavy rains, Bertrand said. That work will delay a return to vegetable production until 2019.

The farm belonged to Philemon Wright in 1824 and was sold to the Parker-Moore family in 1872. The NCC acquired it a century later.

The farm’s website is at lafermemoore.ca.

[email protected]
twitter.com/TomSpears1

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/gatineaus-historic-moore-farm-to-reopen-with-fresh-funding