Courtesy of LeBreton RendezVous.
The National Capital Commission decided yesterday who would win in the bid for the long-vacant, and much sought-after LeBreton Flats lot downtown. Senator’s owner Eugene Melnyk backed the RendezVous LeBreton Group’s plan, which seemed the easy winner of the two bids, and it turns out it was.
Although the offer made by Devcore, Canderel, and DLS Group passed all the bid requirements, it was Melnyk’s plan for the 21 hectares of land in the heart of the city that wowed those on the evaluation committee. There were also nearly 8,000 written comments submitted about the proposals and 3,000 others who participated in public consultation over the fate of the LeBreton Flats.
Along with the possibility of a new arena for the Ottawa Senators, the RendezVous Group proposed a new Abilities Centre, a dedicated centre for the activities of those with disabilities, and to functionally incorporate the new LRT track within the architecture of the site, an element that the DLS Group did not do as well as its counterpart.
Also, Melnyk’s RendezVous plans for commercial spaces, retail opportunities, and residential areas, including their plan for affordable housing, was deemed the better option for the future of the city.
Although Melnyk’s bid was chosen Thursday, construction won’t start anytime soon. There are many plans for future negotiations, including Aboriginal consultations, and federal and municipal approval processes. Nonetheless, Ottawa’s downtown is one step closer to a major, and much needed, face-lift.
