Building LeBreton Flats - Master Planning

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Weird that Bruce Garrioch wrote an article about transportation planning. If the Sens are even remotely involved, he gets the gig?

He didn't... Paula Tran did. She probably just lifted the two sentences about the Sens from one of his articles, and so credited him for that.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

He didn't... Paula Tran did. She probably just lifted the two sentences about the Sens from one of his articles, and so credited him for that.

Right you are. I guess I just saw his name at the bottom and didn't read the whole line.

[urbanforest]

It's unbelievable to me that the city/NCC purposefully restrict access to the paths all around Lebreton during major events. They're going to have to stop this micromanagement of pedestrian egress before the arena is built.

[RideauRat]

Originally Posted by urbanforest

It's unbelievable to me that the city/NCC purposefully restrict access to the paths all around Lebreton during major events. They're going to have to stop this micromanagement of pedestrian egress before the arena is built.

exactly this. they missed a big opportunity to prime the idea of being at LeBreton in the first place. Near the train station they could've easily put a temporary tennis/basketball/football pitch the number of people would have explode the the demand for more housing amenities etc. would be infinite, the stadium would NEED to be built.

I knew that Crow had meaning. contaminated and dead. like LeBreton.

[golfguy9]

Originally Posted by RideauRat

exactly this. they missed a big opportunity to prime the idea of being at LeBreton in the first place. Near the train station they could've easily put a temporary tennis/basketball/football pitch the number of people would have explode the the demand for more housing amenities etc. would be infinite, the stadium would NEED to be built.

I knew that Crow had meaning. contaminated and dead. like LeBreton.

I agree. They should be putting a turf football field, some basketball and tennis courts at Lebreton. Premium amenities like this would be packed in the summer. Just no vision or ambition besides some bike lanes.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by golfguy9

I agree. They should be putting a turf football field, some basketball and tennis courts at Lebreton. Premium amenities like this would be packed in the summer. Just no vision or ambition besides some bike lanes.

I don't disagree with the idea, but we know how Ottawans freak out everytime "parks" created from land pending development return to their intended use.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by urbanforest

It's unbelievable to me that the city/NCC purposefully restrict access to the paths all around Lebreton during major events. They're going to have to stop this micromanagement of pedestrian egress before the arena is built.

I think it's crazy they didn't close Rideau and the ByWard Market to cars.

I don't think they'll have any closures of cycling/pedestrian spaces when the arena opens. It's far fewer people (18k vs 30k to 60k) with a more controlled crowd disbursement.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I drove by the location, horrible. When the area is still a blank slate, why build mid-way between stations? No matter what is suggested, there will be no many million dollar infill stations. Our regional style trains are not suited to frequent stopping. Oh well, transit is very low priority to this rec centre according to the city councillor. We continue to build our suburbs with total car dependence in mind. When we invest in transit in the suburbs, we make sure it has minimal usefulness especially for those who live there.

The arena is proposed at the widest point. There's really nowhere else it would fit unless we placed in in the Flats/Aqueduct District. It could fit in the parks district, but that's landfill and not well suited for any construction.



In between stations is the better spot to spread the loads. From the door to the station entrances, it will only be about 250 to 300 meters. It's closer than a lot of the parking at the Palladium, and should be a far more pleasant walk. A lot of people might stop at bars and restaurants on the way, splitting the walk in two.

[golfguy9]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I drove by the location, horrible. When the area is still a blank slate, why build mid-way between stations? No matter what is suggested, there will be no many million dollar infill stations. Our regional style trains are not suited to frequent stopping. Oh well, transit is very low priority to this rec centre according to the city councillor. We continue to build our suburbs with total car dependence in mind. When we invest in transit in the suburbs, we make sure it has minimal usefulness especially for those who live there.

I'm sorry, I don't get the gripe about arena location. If you can't walk 200m from the doors to the train station, don't go to the game. Having it in between the two is perfect for separating east and west bound passengers and your south connection is right there as well.

[SL123]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I drove by the location, horrible. When the area is still a blank slate, why build mid-way between stations? No matter what is suggested, there will be no many million dollar infill stations. Our regional style trains are not suited to frequent stopping. Oh well, transit is very low priority to this rec centre according to the city councillor. We continue to build our suburbs with total car dependence in mind. When we invest in transit in the suburbs, we make sure it has minimal usefulness especially for those who live there.

I think you posted in the wrong thread and meant to post in this one maybe? :https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265675

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by SL123

I think you posted in the wrong thread and meant to post in this one maybe? :https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265675

Oh yeah. I thought it was weird he called the NHL arena a rec centre .

[J.OT13]

NCC and Hydro Ottawa partner on district energy system at LeBreton Flats

Marissa Galko, OBJ
July 31, 2026

The National Capital Commission and Hydro Ottawa Group are partnering on a 99-year district energy initiative for LeBreton Flats, the organizations announced Friday.

The initiative, in collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada through the federal government’s Energy Services Acquisition Program, “brings a next-generation low-carbon district energy system to LeBreton Flats.” The system will substitute fragmented, individual building systems with a unified network that will provide heating and cooling directly to future buildings within the developing LeBreton Flats community.

In a news release Friday, the NCC said the energy system is a step toward realizing its sustainability goals for the LeBreton project.

“LeBreton Flats represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a sustainable, inclusive and forward-looking community in the heart of Canadaʼs Capital Region,ˮ said Tobi Nussbaum, CEO of the NCC. “This partnership will deliver a bold, low-carbon energy solution that supports the National Capital Commissionʼs environmental objectives and helps bring the vision of a sustainable community at LeBreton Flats to life.ˮ

The NCC granted Hydro Ottawa the exclusive right to construct and operate the system throughout the LeBreton Flats community. This aligns with Hydro Ottawa’s strategic direction to prioritize the expansion of district energy as a “key business line to enable local decarbonization and advance the company’s commitment to achieving net-zero operations.”

“This partnership underscores our commitment to building a resilient, innovative and sustainable grid within the National Capital Region. By deploying this district energy system, we are establishing a new benchmark for sustainable and cleaner energy in large-scale urban development, ensuring our infrastructure supports lasting environmental and economic value,” said Bryce Conrad, president and CEO of Hydro Ottawa Group.

According to the release, key pillars of the partnership include environmental leadership, ensuring that the vast majority of the energy provided is derived from clean sources; and scalable infrastructure, with the 99-year agreement mandating the integration of private developments, including a future major events centre.

Approved in April 2021, the NCC’s LeBreton Flats Master Concept Plan is a vision for the redevelopment of the 29-hectare site over the next 35 years that would see 4,000 dwelling units, 700,000 square feet of office space and 270,000 square feet of retail space at completion, as well as approximately 11,000 new residents.

https://obj.ca/ncc-hydro-ottawa-partner-energy-system-lebreton-flats/

[ponyboycurtis]

Feels like NCC has been the only entity in the 613/819 pulling their weight for several years now. Severely outperforming just about anything/anyone else.

Never would have caught me saying this many years ago but I surrender myself to Tori Nussbaum and the NCC. Make him supreme leader of the National Capital Region and dissolve both city councils.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

Feels like NCC has been the only entity in the 613/819 pulling their weight for several years now. Severely outperforming just about anything/anyone else.

Never would have caught me saying this many years ago but I surrender myself to Tori Nussbaum and the NCC. Make him supreme leader of the National Capital Region and dissolve both city councils.

Nussbaum for mayor, although he might see that as a step down.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

Feels like NCC has been the only entity in the 613/819 pulling their weight for several years now. Severely outperforming just about anything/anyone else.

Never would have caught me saying this many years ago but I surrender myself to Tori Nussbaum and the NCC. Make him supreme leader of the National Capital Region and dissolve both city councils.

That's very strange to hear. I remember the years of complaints on this forum about the NCC.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

That's very strange to hear. I remember the years of complaints on this forum about the NCC.

The NCC has been through a complete transformation over the last decade.

There's a whole website about NCC blunders: https://nccwatch.org/index.htm

They've been running pretty thin on material the last little while.

[J.OT13]

Levelled twice, rising again: The remarkable comeback of LeBreton Flats

Contaminated soil and decades of emptiness are giving way to an ambitious plan for a walkable neighbourhood in the heart of the city.

By Gary Dimmock, Ottawa Citizen
Published Aug 05, 2026



On the Flats of Lebreton, they’re building a neighbourhood proper.

Take it all in. This is what’s been built, what’s being built and what may be built in the name of a pedestrian-first neighbourhood in the heart of the city.

The Flats are an area — just shy of 72 acres — steeped in history on the south bank of the Ottawa River.

The NCC land is now, finally, being transformed from a long-time wasteland with contaminated soil back into a community under an ambitious plan.

It was once settled by working-class French, Irish and Italian immigrants on Algonquin land.

Several names you might know from street signs and places named after them have important connections to the Flats. Names like LeBreton, Eddy and Booth.

That’s John LeBreton from England, but raised in Newfoundland and served as a captain in the infantry long before Confederation.

After LeBreton bought the land in the 1820s, he was later accused of using inside information to flip it to the British government because he thought he knew that exact parcel of land was going to be used for a proposed canal. It was after these accusations that the plans were changed and the Rideau Canal we know today was born. Now known for boating in the summer and skating in the winter, it’s nowhere near The Flats.

Lebreton never lived in The Flats named after him. He lived in Nepean, where he was an early settler to the area and ran a farm.

E.B. Eddy, or Ezra Butler Eddy, an American from Vermont, was famous for his matchstick and paper company and did big business on The Flats, but, like LeBreton, he didn’t live there.

Quebec lumber baron J.R. Booth did live in The Flats in the same neighbourhood as the folks who worked at his mills and railway.

The Flats have been levelled twice. The first time was in 1899*, when a chimney fire in Hull got out of control and, with high winds, carried across the Ottawa River and burned down much of The Flats.

It left 40 per cent of Hull residents homeless and 14 per cent of folks in The Flats without places to live.

But they rebuilt and it became a tight, working-class neighbourhood steeped in diversity and adversity.

Rail yards, factories, single-family homes (sans condos), and all the shops that specialized in their trade. The butcher, the shoemaker and the wedding-cake baker.

Taverns, hotels, garages, and corner stores. And everything was within walking distance in a pedestrian-first neighbourhood.

The second time the neighbourhood was levelled was deliberate.

The ruling class back in 1962, under John Diefenbaker’s Progressive Conservative government, looked at the hardscrabble neighbourhood as an eyesore, and one too close to Parliament Hill.

The second time the neighbourhood was levelled was deliberate.

The ruling class back in 1962, under John Diefenbaker’s Progressive Conservative government, looked at the hardscrabble neighbourhood as an eyesore, and one too close to Parliament Hill.

So the NCC expropriated all of it and demolished the whole space. About 2,800 people were kicked out of their homes, and hundreds of businesses shut down.

It was described at the time as a crime against poverty.



Today, The Flats is getting closer to huge changes with hopes of making it a big destination and a neighbourhood once more.

The under-construction Ādisōke on Albert Street is no longer owned by the NCC and not part of the master plan for the Flats; the joint project between Library and Archives Canada and the Ottawa Public Library will be a big draw and sits just on the edge of the neighbourhood.

From picnic tables, wading pools, basketball courts to a hardware store, drugstore and grocery.

It’s not every day a new neighbourhood comes with an NHL rink and affordable housing on the same street. It’s all happening.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/comeback-lebreton-flats

*The Great Hull-Ottawa fire was in 1900, not 1899.

[J.OT13]

The Ottawa Citizen has an interactive map if you go on the website.



Here's what each sector says.

I had mentioned that the NCC was in talks with a French School Board for a High School on the old Slater parcel, across from Adisoke, last summer. This was information I got from the Open NCC bike ride. This confirms it, but they make it sound like they'll give or sell the entire parcel to the School Board, while I was under the impression the institution would be part of a larger development.

From the itneractive map if you go on the Citizen's website:

A possible French high school
These two parcels of NCC land are south from the new library under construction and across Albert Street. As you read this, the NCC is in talks with a school board to potentially build a French high school on these parcels of land.

Also from the map, description of the Aqueduct District:

The Aqueduct District
A vibrant cultural hub with parkland will go up along the existing aqueduct. The entertainment-based district will have shops, restaurants and bars. Built in 1874, the Fleet Street Pumping Station draws water from the Ottawa River using hydraulic power — still the source of most of Ottawa’s drinking water. The NCC intends to market the waterworks district next.

For the Flats District:

The Flats District
Twelve NCC parcels of land will be mixed-use with a focus on residential and billed as a “community defined by intimate pedestrian-oriented streets. The NCC is in discussions with what they call a preferred proponent to develop certain parcels. The remaining parcels will be phased in at a later date.

From the Parks District:

The Parks District
There will be picnic tables, and trees and benches. But there will also be municipal basketball courts, pickle ball and wading pools. It’s going to be stuffed full of recreation. The NCC hopes the park spaces will bring visitors from far and near to the western edge of the neighbourhood.

For Albert District:

Undetermined
Down the street west of the Odenak towers, the future of these three parcels of land is undetermined. One thing is clear: no developer is getting in without a proper competition.

For the Arena District:

A new Sens arena
Ottawa will finally have an NHL rink downtown, or just west of it. The plan also includes 2,000 condo units, which requires digging up and hauling out all the contaminated soil left from the Flats’ industrial past. Builders will wrap the foundation with a membrane to keep legacy pollution at bay. The NCC and the Sens settled on around $35M for the 11 acres.

For Odenak:

Odenak Towers
The towers are red on the bottom half, so they give routinely grey Ottawa buildings a pop. They're made up of 608 units with 41 per cent set aside for affordable rent. The affordable units are distributed throughout what they call a “vertical community” and are no different than market housing. Ten per cent of these units will have three bedrooms.

[J.OT13]

Also found a few other things.



We are excited to enter the due diligence process and lease negotiations which we aim to complete by the end of 2024.

The site is located along Wellington Street, across from the Canadian War Museum and LeBreton Flats Park festival grounds.

The site includes four parcels for a combined developable area of 1.63 hectares or approx. 4 acres.

Each block can feature mid-rise building podiums with towers ranging from 12 to 20 stories permitted, with a total development area of 78K sm or approx. 840,000 sf. There is a potential for approximately 900 residential units

This Flats Phase and surrounding Flats District will become a future gateway into LeBreton Flats, knitting together the built fabric along Wellington Street as a continuation of the downtown.

https://ave31.com/our-projects/coming-lebreton-demain/

[J.OT13]

https://www.unstudio.com/projects/further/lebreton-flats/