Gatineau Park

[DTcrawler]

The shuttle program really needs to be more expansive. The 30 min frequency is fine but only on weekends and ending at ~4pm just doesn't cut it. Also, why is it only going to start in late June?

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

The shuttle program really needs to be more expansive. The 30 min frequency is fine but only on weekends and ending at ~4pm just doesn't cut it. Also, why is it only going to start in late June?

And going to the Visitors centre is pretty limiting. So we lose a lot of hikes this summer entirely. For example Pink Lake is a great mobility or child friendly hike on a hot day. Also means the remaining accessible sites will be overrun.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Harley613

EVERY damned time I'm about to post an article I come on the forum and you have just posted it. It's uncanny.

Great minds think alike. Or something like that

[rocketphish]

NCC 'officializing' rogue trails in Gatineau Park
Work underway and NCC to add about 100km to official network by 2024

Stu Mills · CBC News
Posted: May 14, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 7 hours ago



After years of warning visitors of Gatineau Park to stay on the trail, the National Capital Commission (NCC) has begun converting many so-called rogue hiking and cycling paths into legitimate routes.

Beyond the 200 kilometres of official forest routes maintained by the NCC, park managers estimate there are more than 300 kilometres of extra unofficial trails.

The number of those trails has snowballed in the era of mobile mapping apps like AllTrails, and beginning in 2017, the NCC began to take the "if you can't beat them, join them" approach.

Off-piste misadventures have become common in Gatineau Park in recent years.

Last November one hiker was injured on a steep cliff face and needed to be rescued by firefighters from several of the municipalities that border the park.

Not long after, another visitor ventured off a designated path, became lost and required rescuing.

"It's always complicated, and it's at night," said Chelsea Fire Department Chief Charles Ethier, who pointed out the risk to rescuers.

"There's a chance of falling, so it's always a difficult intervention."

Even if a lost hiker's phone does have reception, merely sending co-ordinates to rescuers may not help if there's no record of the trail the visitor followed into their predicament, said Ethier.

Pierre-Olivier Dorego, outdoor recreation manager for Gatineau Park, admitted that the proliferation of new paths through the forest by users of mapping apps has caused park authorities new headaches.

Still, planners have tried to take a philosophical approach.

"We have to keep in mind that these trails are there for a reason," said Dorego, who added DIY trails often connected residential neighbourhoods to the park, or offered a recreational experience not available elsewhere.

Beginning in 2017, the NCC held public consultations with users about which unofficial trails deserved to be made official.

Hang-gliders, equestrians, snowmobilers, hikers, cyclists and other groups weighed in in a series of public meetings.

In the end, about 100 kilometres of the 330 kilometres of rogue routes were accepted, often with modifications, with the DIY trails evaluated on the basis of their recreational value and environmental impact.

Dorego said some proposed routes had to be immediately ruled out of bounds when they charted a course across sensitive and legally protected habitats for animals like peregrine falcons, western chorus frogs or American butternut.

Others caused unacceptable fragmentation in the range of larger mammals like deer.

But in many other cases, the park has allowed users to take the lead.

"We're hoping that these provide the experiences that people are looking for on the unofficial trails and we will be able to close the unofficial trails that are problematic from a safety and environmental point of view," Dorego said.

Phase 1, completed in 2019, made about 14 kilometres of trails official. It brought trails 41, 42, 43, 66, 67, 68, 76, 77, 79 and 80 in Gatineau and Chelsea into the NCC canon.

Phase 2 added 53B, 58, 59 and 72B, about 17 kilometres in total, in the Wakefield area.

Volunteers have donated thousands of hours of their time to trim, lop and blaze the paths that get the NCC nod.

Dorego estimates that by summer 2024, 100 kilometres of "crowdsourced" routes will show up on official NCC maps.

It's music to the ears of Patrick Hannan who confessed to riding his mountain bike on "unofficial trails" and frequently running into conflict with hikers who, also are also on out of bounds routes, took issue with him.

"With officializing them, they know it's a shared trail. I get less insults or remarks," he said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-park-rogue-trails-official-network-1.6452182

[J.OT13]

Good to see. The City of Ottawa seems nearly incapable of officializing desire lines.

[J.OT13]

NCC looking into renting out e bikes, hybrid bikes, scooters, bike trailers in the Park.

[rocketphish]

Gatineau Park car restrictions unfair, hikers and walkers say
A petition opposing the summertime closure to cars has garnered nearly 7,000 signatures.

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published Mar 20, 2023 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read

Avid hiker and Chelsea retiree Nicole DesRoches loved her morning walks in the high interior of Gatineau Park: circuits of Pink Lake, the view from Champlain Lookout, long rambles along the escarpment to Western Cabin and beyond.
Article content

But with spring here, DesRoches fears she and thousands of others will again have their access to those jewels curtailed by what they say is a discriminatory policy. For the past three summers, the NCC has limited car access to much of the parkway network to just three afternoons a week.

“It’s like people who walk don’t exist,” said DesRoches.

“There’s a lot of retirees who walk in the park or people who want to go to the park with their families to picnic and they can’t do that,” she said.

“One of the NCC’s principles for the park is ‘equity’. Well what kind of equity is this?”

A petition opposing the summertime closure to cars has garnered nearly 7,000 signatures.

“We hope that they actually listen to us,” said Ala’ Qadi, an Algonquin College professor and a certified hike leader.

“If you live in the Ottawa area, Gatineau Park is dear to your heart. We have no idea what the schedule will be this summer.”

In 2015, the National Capital Commission published a Sustainable Transportation Plan that sought to reduce the environmental impact of trips in the park, while ensuring it remained accessible.

Then came the pandemic. In spring 2020, Gatineau Park was closed to the public. When the parkways reopened that summer, they were restricted to bicyclists except for Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday afternoons.

In 2021, the NCC added a shuttle bus from downtown Ottawa to key spots in the park. The NCC said the shuttle carried 15,000 passengers on the 10 weekends it operated last summer.

But the shuttle only ran on weekends from June 25 to Aug. 28 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Article content

“We asked why the shuttle didn’t run during the week and the answer they gave was that there wasn’t enough ridership to justify the trips,” Qadi said. “So if there’s no demand on weekdays, why are they closing the parkways (to cars) at the low time?”

The NCC’s own transportation study noted that, aside from three weeks during the peak leaf season, traffic congestion wasn’t a problem in the park, Qadi said.

But now lots are frequently jammed during the three afternoons the parkways are open to cars, Qadi said.

Prior to 2020, “Never in my life did I drive to Champlain Lookout on a Wednesday and find the parking lot was full,” he said.

During the week when cars aren’t allowed, the only way to access popular Pink Lake is to park at McKenzie King Estate and hike an hour to get there. Others have been parking along Notch Road, creating both a safety risk and damaging unofficial trails, he said.
Article content

Meanwhile, the parkways are the domain of cyclists who make the strenuous 22-km ride up to Champlain Lookout.

“We do not understand why, and the NCC has not explained why, the parkways need to be used exclusively by high-level athletes who do not use the trails or enjoy nature, but simply use them to exercise,” hiker Barbara Lapointe said in an email.

The hiking groups pushed the NCC for answers at an online meeting in January, but say they didn’t get a satisfactory response. They’ve since sent a letter to NCC chief executive Tobi Nussbaum with 20 questions they’d like answered. No response.

Nussbaum and the NCC declined a request for an interview for this story.

In an emailed statement, the NCC said the park’s master plan said the parkways serve two roles: provide access to popular areas of the park and to provide a space for active use transportation. It also aims to provide equitable and sustainable access.

“In finding the right balance to achieve these goals, the National Capital Commission actively evaluates the parkway programming through public feedback, meetings with stakeholders and surveys,” it said.

“The parameters for this year’s parkway programming are still being studied and will be announced in early May,” NCC spokeswoman Maryam El-Akhrass said in an email.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...strictions-unfair-hikers-and-walkers-say

[lrt's friend]

I don't bother going to Gatineau Park anymore and there are certain trails that I enjoy. It has become mostly an enclave for 'high-level athletes'. I don't mind sharing, but let's remember that 'high-level' athletes are a tiny minority.

[J.OT13]

It has changed quite a lot in the past 20 years. Back then, we would go as a family and we were often the only ones walking through the forest. We might cross one or two other families/couples. Now, it's like Disney Land. That started soon after they moved (or expanded) the parking lot, built the new visitors centre and relocated the sugar shack.

[rocketphish]

NCC briefs: Westboro Beach construction behind schedule; Champlain Bridge work to finish early, NCC meeting hears

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published Apr 20, 2023 • 3 minute read


<snip>


Gatineau Parkway car restrictions

Hikers, walkers, elderly and disabled people frustrated by restrictions on car access to interior trails and scenic gems such as the Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park will know soon if their complaints have been heard.

Two summers ago, the NCC closed its parkways to cars with the exception of Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. That didn’t go down well with many visitors who said the policy unfairly limits access to those with the ability to bike the strenuous 22-km climb to the lookout. A shuttle bus into the park only runs on weekends.

“We’ve been engaged with many consultations over the winter months and those conversations will help inform the summer schedule for this year, which will be announced in the coming weeks,” said Nussbaum.

“We’re also very happy with the results of the program up until now. It’s often noted that we see greater usage of the Gatineau Park parkways when they are open for active use than when they are open to cars. That’s an important measure.

“But we’ve also looked at public surveys and consultations and all of that will feed into the decision around the schedule which will be coming out shortly.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...e-work-to-finish-early-ncc-meeting-hears

[movebyleap]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

NCC briefs: Westboro Beach construction behind schedule; Champlain Bridge work to finish early, NCC meeting hears

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published Apr 20, 2023 • 3 minute read


<snip>


Gatineau Parkway car restrictions

Hikers, walkers, elderly and disabled people frustrated by restrictions on car access to interior trails and scenic gems such as the Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park will know soon if their complaints have been heard.

Two summers ago, the NCC closed its parkways to cars with the exception of Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. That didn’t go down well with many visitors who said the policy unfairly limits access to those with the ability to bike the strenuous 22-km climb to the lookout. A shuttle bus into the park only runs on weekends.

“We’ve been engaged with many consultations over the winter months and those conversations will help inform the summer schedule for this year, which will be announced in the coming weeks,” said Nussbaum.

“We’re also very happy with the results of the program up until now. It’s often noted that we see greater usage of the Gatineau Park parkways when they are open for active use than when they are open to cars. That’s an important measure.

“But we’ve also looked at public surveys and consultations and all of that will feed into the decision around the schedule which will be coming out shortly.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...e-work-to-finish-early-ncc-meeting-hears

I haven't been back to Gatineau since the closures. I am an avid hiker and there are many decent trails in the Laurentians, Algonquin Park, Charleston Lake, and in the Pontiac that are vastly superior to Gatineau. The NCC closures allowed me to discover lots of great new places!

[rocketphish]

Main Gatineau Park campground will be closed for renovations this summer
Only the park's canoe-access campground at Lac La Pêche will be open

CBC News
Posted: Apr 20, 2023 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: April 20



Gatineau Park's main campground will be closed for major renovations this summer and fall, according to the National Capital Commission (NCC).

"The project will improve the quality of the experience, and reduce the area's overall environmental impact," an NCC webpage reads.

The Lac Philippe campground was built in the 1950s, and its facilities are now "quite dated," the site reads.

It's one of three camping areas in Gatineau Park. The park's semi-wilderness campground at Lac Taylor will also be closed. Only the canoe-access campground at Lac La Pêche will be open for summer 2023.

Lac Philippe has 250 campsites, including 11 ready-to-camp units comprised of a mix of all-season tents, yurts and cabins.

The NCC's site says the campground renovations will include the following improvements:

• new ready-to-camp units (such as yurts and cabins)
• campsite quality, safety and privacy
• better access to electricity and drinking water
• animal-proof food lockers
• a new amphitheatre, multi-use pavilion, kitchen shelter and camp store
• more accessible campground and signage

The NCC began demolishing buildings and removing trees in the Lac Philippe sector in September 2022. It said "national trends" in camping services pushed it to renew its facilities.

Renovations are expected to continue into the fall with the reopening planned for summer 2024.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/gatineau-park-campground-renovations-1.6816171

[rocketphish]

13 attempts to protect Gatineau Park have failed, but a new bill could change that
The bill's aim is to prevent the park from shrinking any further after development has reduced its size over the decades.

Catherine Morrison, Ottawa Citizen
Published Oct 10, 2024 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 4 minute read

A new bill aiming to protect Gatineau Park was introduced in the Senate on Thursday afternoon. Not the first of its kind, the bill will follow 13 others that ultimately failed.

Independent Senator Rosa Galvez and Liberal member of Parliament Sophie Chatel co-authored the new bill, which seeks to establish the boundaries of Gatineau Park and to ban the sale of public lands within the park with certain exceptions. It would also bring the park, which is managed by the National Capital Commission (NCC), under the oversight of Parliament.

Supporters of the bill say this would ideally prevent the park from shrinking any further after development has reduced its size over the decades.

“(Despite) the importance of the park, it’s a park that does not have the legal status of a truly protected park,” said Chatel, who represents the riding of Pontiac and has launched a petition calling for the protection of Gatineau Park that garnered thousands of signatures.

The bill would require the NCC to submit a “master plan,” including a “long-term ecological vision” to Parliament at least every 10 years.

Chatel added that establishing park boundaries would be important to prevent further development of parkland and to ensure it was protected for future generations.

Galvez says the 360-square-kilometre park contains more than 50 lakes, as well as rivers and creeks that are homes to vital ecosystems.

“I was particularly interested in bringing this bill forward when Ms. Chatel approached me, given the urgent need to protect our natural ecosystem and biodiversity,” said Galvez, who noted that Canada committed in 2022 to protect 30 per cent of its land and water by 2030.

While the bill’s proponents say the bill is “historic,” it’s nowhere near the first of its kind.

Between 2005 and 2013, 13 bills were introduced in Parliament to amend the National Capital Act — a law that established the NCC — specifically to protect Gatineau Park.

These bills have often been private members bills brought forward by NDP legislators, but not always, as the Conservative government of then-prime minister Stephen Harper introduced such a bill in 2014. It didn’t pass before the election in 2015.

Other bills withered away and were never passed before the end of a parliamentary session.

Chatel said she “strongly believes” this bill would pass, noting that the new project already had the support of 12 members of Parliament from the National Capital Region, as well as Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. Chatel and Galvez said they were confident that the bill would go forward, but said that, if not, it would be re-tabled.

“We’ve talked a lot over the past year about this to ensure that we have a bill that will receive government support,” Chatel said in French.

Concerns about the bill being introduced so late in the game

As a potential federal election looms, some supporters worry the bill may suffer the same fate as others seeking to protect Gatineau Park.

Nikita Lopoukhine, tformer chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas, said that, while he hoped the bill would pass, he had concerns about it being introduced so late in the government’s mandate.

“The challenge is that we always come to this point at the end of the mandate, instead of at the beginning of the mandate,” Lopoukhine said. “If indeed there can be an effort in the beginning of a mandate, we might get some legislation through.”

He noted that, in the last 50 years, the park had decreased in size as roads and transmission lines had been built.

“Through policy decisions, the park has shrunk in size, and there’s no protection for its current delineations,” said Lopoukhine, who worked in vegetarian inventory at the park in the 1970s. “There’s no protection for Gatineau Park.”

Lopoukhine said the new bill paralleled the National Parks Act. While he said it would go far enough, he would have liked to see some financial resources for wardens or rangers to monitor the park and to ensure the bill was followed.

“We’re taking one step at a time. Let’s at least get the boundaries recognized and put into a bill so that it becomes very difficult for the government of Canada to give away land,” Lopoukhine said.

The bill also encourages hiring businesses and workers from the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation to maintain and conserve the park. It also says that, while the occupancy of public lands won’t be allowed, there will be exceptions for local Anishinabeg organizations.

“Gatineau Park is an integral part of our regional identity and together we have the responsibility to protect it,” Chatel said.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/13-attemp...-failed-but-a-new-bill-could-change-that

[J.OT13]

I would really love for the Park to become a National Park. I understand the challenges with private property within the park, but there's got to be a way to make it a full National Park or an National Urban Park like Rouge Park in Toronto.

[rocketphish]

Bill to protect Gatineau Park is badly needed, but also badly timed
Gatineau Park's future isn't a priority for any federal politician, be it local MPs or cabinet ministers. Thirteen unsuccessful bills to protect it prove the point.

Mohammed Adam, Ottawa Citizen
Published Oct 17, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read

A decade after a bill to protect Gatineau Park was defeated in the House of Commons, two lawmakers are back at it, but sadly, the exercise may end in tears once more.

Independent Sen. Rosa Galvez and Pontiac Liberal MP Sophie Chatel introduced a bill in the Senate last week to establish clear boundaries for the shrinking park, ban the sale of parkland for development, and bring it under parliamentary oversight. Surprisingly, 86-year-old Gatineau is the only federal park that’s not part of the national park system, and this will be the 14th bill to try to redress that wrong.

Thirteen previous efforts failed because influential local politicians, including Conservative and Liberal cabinet ministers, have never cared enough to fight for Gatineau Park’s protection. Ottawa-Gatineau has had powerful politicians, including former foreign ministers Lawrence Cannon and John Baird, as well as former environment and climate change minister Catherine McKenna and Treasury Board president Mona Fortier, but none has championed the protection of Gatineau Park. The work has often been left to MPs such as the NDP’s Paul Dewar or Nycole Turmel, and outsiders such as B.C. Liberal MP Joyce Murray, who couldn’t get it done.

Laudable as the latest effort is, the timing is all wrong.

There is no question that the 360 sq.-km. Gatineau Park needs legal protection. Under the National Capital Commission’s watch, it has shrunk in size as portions of it have been given up for urban development. A lack of legally defined boundaries has meant that over the years, particularly in the 1990s, hundreds of acres were chopped off for new homes or roads, as well as commercial and industrial activities, often in violation of commitments made in the park’s masterplan.

But introducing a bill to protect it into a dysfunctional Parliament, when the minority Liberal government could fall any day, is inopportune. Chatel says she “strongly believes” the bill will pass, noting the support of a dozen MPs from the National Capital Region, as well as Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos. But her confidence is misplaced. If the Liberals wanted to protect Gatineau Park, they would have done so long ago.

Answering a question in the House of Commons on whether the prime minister would heed a request to protect the ecological integrity of Gatineau Park and establish its boundaries in law, Justin Trudeau answered by calling the park a “true jewel,” then adding, “We will continue to work with the National Capital Commission and various partners to ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect this beautiful wilderness area for generations to come.” That was in 2018, and six years later, nothing has been done.

And it won’t be done now by a Liberal minority government fighting for its life. As well, when you have opposition parties jostling to be the first to bring down the government and trigger an election, protecting an Ottawa-area conservation park is irrelevant.

Galvez and Chatel should not have left it so late to introduce the bill, given the history of private members’ efforts. Between 2005 and 2013, 13 bills were introduced in Parliament to amend the National Capital Act (which established the NCC) in order to protect Gatineau Park. Most died on the Order Paper when Parliament was dissolved, which is likely to be the fate of the latest effort. One bill that came to a vote was from Hull-Aylmer NDP MP Nycole Turmel; it was defeated by the Conservative government in 2014.

Gatineau Park is the federal park politicians of all stripes seem to care very little about. There doesn’t seem to be any political capital to gain in protecting it, so nothing happens. Will it be protected in the next Parliament, when, if you believe the pollsters and commentators, Pierre Poilievre will become prime minister? Highly unlikely. Though a local MP, park protection doesn’t seem like the stuff that moves Poilievre.

But we just have to keep trying — because Gatineau Park does need our protection.

Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa journalist and commentator. Reach him at [email protected]

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adam-b...ark-is-badly-needed-but-also-badly-timed

[J.OT13]

• Video Link

[J.OT13]

La protection du parc de la Gatineau à nouveau discutée au Sénat

Par Lise Denis, Le Droit
12 juin 2025 à 11h10

La sénatrice Rosa Galvez et la députée de Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi, Sophie Chatel, reviennent à la charge. Elles ont annoncé, jeudi, avoir déposé au Sénat un nouveau projet de loi visant à protéger le parc de la Gatineau.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/actua...tee-au-senat-ZO55ZJMATRFXVPKCHOQAZELABA/

[harls]

I thought it was already protected? Oh well, let's spend some money on some more studies.

[rocketphish]

Kitigan Zibi files land claim over large swath of western Quebec, including Gatineau Park
Claim against the Quebec and Canadian governments also includes a $5-billion lawsuit

Liam Baker · CBC News
Posted: Nov 01, 2025 5:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg has filed a land title claim against the Quebec and Canadian governments, one that encompasses large swaths of land in western Quebec.

Part of the claim is intended to protect the interests of future generations of members of the western Quebec First Nation, said Chief Jean-Guy Whiteduck.

“We want to protect the resources, make sure they're managed in a sustainable way that everyone benefits, today and into the future,” Whiteduck told CBC

The title claim was filed in Quebec Superior Court on Oct. 24. It includes a $5-billion lawsuit over alleged violations of constitutionally protected rights by the Canadian and Quebec governments and Hydro-Québec, according to a press release from the First Nation.

“It’s a reasonable number, based on other similar types of cases and just given the area of the land at issue and the nature of the breaches of rights that have occurred,” said Julian Riddell, a lawyer representing Kitigan Zibi in the case.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) has also been named as a defendant in the case.
Includes reservoir, Ottawa River islands

The title claim encompasses eight main areas, including Gatineau Park, the Baskatong Reservoir, and the Papineau-Labelle wildlife reserve. It also covers several islands in the Ottawa River, including Morris and Kettle Islands.

Whiteduck says Kitigan Zibi never relinquished these lands.

<more>

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/kitigan-zibi-anishinabeg-land-title-case-9.6962873

[J.OT13]

Une nouvelle étape pour la maison O’Brien
Par Sarah-Jeanne Tremblay, Le Droit
1er juin 2026 à 18h29



Depuis le début du mois de mai, le nouvel hôtel-boutique signé Square Old Chelsea, ouvre lentement ses portes aux clients. Tourisme d’affaires, de villégiature ou de plein air, le nouvel hôtel a plusieurs plans pour le bâtiment historique, presque inoccupé depuis plus de 50 ans.

Le bâtiment appartient à la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN) depuis 1964. Située au cœur du parc de la Gatineau, à quelques minutes du centre-village de Chelsea, la maison historique surplombe la forêt et le lac Meech.

En mars dernier, un bail a été signé entre la CCN et Square Old Chelsea, qui possède et fait la gestion de plusieurs hébergements et restaurants dans la municipalité. Moins de trois mois après, les premiers clients ont franchi le pas de la porte.

«C’était un sprint incroyable, raconte la présidente-directrice générale de Square Old Chelsea, Manuela Texeira. On n’avait pas le temps de penser à autre chose que de faire arriver le projet.»



Des changements ont été faits à l’intérieur ainsi que des travaux de décoration, mais beaucoup a été gardé des rénovations majeures effectuées par la CCN et le moulin de Wakefield dans leur projet d’hôtel-boutique. Ce projet avait cependant pris fin en 2019, l’immeuble est vacant depuis.

«Ça fait longtemps que j’observe, que je regarde tout ça», mentionne Mme Texeira. Elle se rappelle d’un moment, au début des années 2010, où elle avait visité le bâtiment, alors qu’une structure, et qu’elle était repartie avec les plans du bâtiment et la tête pleine d’idées.

«Pendant et juste après la pandémie, personne ne se lançait vraiment en hébergement. Les conditions n’étaient pas favorables, indique-t-elle. L’été dernier, je suis repassée et je me suis dit “Voyons, il n’y a rien qui se passe.” C’est là que j’ai appelé.»

Depuis, un partenariat s’est formé entre l’entreprise et la CCN qui a mené à la signature du bail en mars dernier. «On a commencé à travailler avec Manuela Texeira et son équipe il y a quelques mois et on est vraiment confiants qu’elle a une équipe très très forte et une vision aussi», lance Tobi Nussbaum, directeur général de la CCN.

Une grande histoire

La maison O’Brien a été construite en 1930 par l’homme d’affaires John Ambrose O’Brien, reconnu comme le fondateur des Canadiens de Montréal et comme l’une des personnes à l’origine de la création de l’Association nationale de Hockey, l’ancêtre de la Ligue nationale.

En 1964, la maison a été achetée par la Commission de la Capitale nationale, responsable aussi du Parc de la Gatineau dans lequel se trouve le bâtiment. En 1984, le bâtiment a été désigné comme édifice fédéral du patrimoine reconnu.



Manuela Texeira souhaite continuer à faire référence à l’histoire du bâtiment dans son projet. Le restaurant porte notamment le nom d’Adèle, l’épouse de John Ambrose O’Brien. «On fait aussi l’honneur à cette époque-là en ayant un service de thé à l’Anglaise», donne-t-elle en exemple.

Plusieurs projets à venir

Pour le moment, le thé à l’anglaise ainsi que le brunch sont offerts au public. L’offre s’étendra au lunch très prochainement, a-t-on annoncé lundi en conférence de presse. Les onze chambres qui se retrouvent au deuxième et au troisième étage de la maison peuvent aussi être réservées.

La prochaine étape est la restauration de l’extérieur du bâtiment, un projet qui sera mené par la CCN ainsi que la construction d’un espace bien-être incluant un petit circuit thermal à l’extérieur.

«On voit vraiment la maison reprendre vie», lance Manuela Texeira.

Le projet de rénovation a coûté pour le moment environ 400 000 $, indique-t-elle, dont une aide de 110 000 $ de la part du ministère du Développement économique Canada.

De leur côté, Tourisme Outaouais et la Ville de Chelsea sont confiants des possibles retombées économiques du projet dans la région.

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/actua...aison-obrien-RJGKHBCFQJD7FL5U3ZJIAWKS7I/