Posted on the Public Realm thread, but fits well here as well.
The proposed parking garage at the new Ottawa Civic Hospital Campus at Dow's Lake, to be built over a surface parking lot, Queen Juliana Park and O-Train Line 2.
Lots of opposition with people calling to bury parking, which could cost at least an extra $200 million. With the lake nearby, and the O-Train running through the site, burying the parking would be a huge challenge and still require cutting down existing trees. Due to the bedrock in the area, even private developers are building above ground parking within the podiums of their towers to avoid digging deeper than necessary.
The parking garage will feature a roof-top park to replace the existing, along with a tennis club, again replace an existing tennis club which will be displaced by the hospital. It will have a direct connection to Dow's Lake Station, likely via an overhead walkway (climate controlled, to the new Civic).
The lot will have 2,500 spots for hospital visitors and Dow's Lake. Hospital staff will have their own parking behind the hospital itself.
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Originally Posted by UrbOttawa
Not sure if these have been posted anywhere here, but here's a few more renderings of the parking garage
Arguments against the parking aside, the natural materials and landscaping around the edges look interesting at least.
I can't help but think of London's failed mid-century elevated walkway plan, where they created a whole pedestrian pathway system away from traffic but it didn't get much traction because it was cumbersome to access and seldom the most efficient way to get places. It's slightly different in the context of a park, but who is going to climb 4 story's to sit on a bench in some green space when across the street there's a huge park at grade? IMO it would make more sense to have the entire top area dedicated to community/sports facilities and lean on Commissionaires or the arboretum to fulfil the traditional park role.
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Images from the last two "Checkpoints", monthly newsletters from the Ottawa Hospital on the project.
https://newcivicdevelopment.ca/news/
Since the original designs came out, they see to have added a partial berm and more trees, along with the relocated tennis club. In my view, this should become a cool feature in the area, a new destination with good views. With the City seemingly leanings towards an overhead walkway to connect Dow's Lake Station with the hospital, via an indoor link on top of the garage, the park should be very accessible between that and the ramp. Just need to promote it, provide programming, maybe a restaurant or small bistro.
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