Plan for the Ottawa Hospital's new Civic Campus under scrutiny at marathon city hall meeting
The plan for the Ottawa Hospital's new Civic Campus came under scrutiny Friday during a marathon meeting at Ottawa City Hall.
Traffic, trees and LRT service were some of the main concerns raised by residents during the special planning committee meeting.
The plan is the second-biggest infrastructure project in Ottawa's history, behind only the light rail transit project. The $2.8 billion project for the new 16-hectare Civic Campus is to be built across from Dow's Lake, near Carling Avenue and Preston Street.
Ottawa Hospital President and CEO Cameron Love said this new hospital is critical to meet the health care demands of a growing city.
"To be able to respond to the future challenges like a pandemic. our health care structure and particularly our regional trauma and referral centre has to be more accessible, has to be agile, and it definitely has to be able to accommodate today's and future standards for health care," said Love.
The new facility will be located on land just minutes away from the current Civic Campus on Carling Avenue.
"Swift, efficient, highly skilled interventions are critical to survival, which can only be delivered at the Civic, that's why the strategic location of central placement within our city core and rapid accessibility to the greatest number of Ottawa citizens is crucial," said Dr. Guy Hebert, The Ottawa Hospital's Chair of Emergency Medicine.
More than 50 delegates signed up to speak to councillors on Friday. Many spoke of the excellent health care, others were worried about losing green space.
"The Civic can be built on a much smaller footprint. The index of a sprawling high tech campus is very American, springs from the idea that land is limitless and cheap but urban park land is not limitless," said PHD student Neil Cruikshank.
Under the plan, Queen Juliana Park would become a four-storey, above-ground parkade -- one of several elements community groups are strongly opposing.
"Our community has lived very close to the existing Civic Campus so we know transportation and traffic is an issue, so we want them to be proactive this time to mitigate that," said Karen Wright, president of the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association.
The association is also concerned about proximity to the new Dow's Lake LRT station now being built on the north side of Carling Avenue.
"In the winter you're expected to cross Carling Avenue, which we know is very busy and then walk two football fields to the hospital building itself. I think that's going to encourage people to stay in their cars," said Wright.
City of Ottawa staff recommended the approval of the Civic site plan. The planning committee continued meeting early Friday evening, and was expected to adjourn until Monday to continue meeting.
If approved, the plan will go to City Council later this month for a final vote.
Construction for the new project is expected to begin in 2024 and scheduled to be completed in 2028.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.