Top choice for LeBreton redevelopment to be decided April 28
Mayors of Ottawa, Gatineau get chance to weigh in at 1st meeting as non-voting board members
It appears as an innocuous, two-word item slated for 2 p.m. on the National Capital Commission board's April 28 agenda: "LeBreton Flats."
But the conversation that takes place could determine the future of what many consider the most valuable parcel of available real estate in Ottawa.
Two consortia have submitted multimillion-dollar bids to redevelop LeBreton Flats, a site that has sat barren since it was razed decades ago, and turn it into a lively landmark in the heart of the nation's capital.
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The group backed by the Ottawa Senators envisions a community centred around a major events facility that will serve as the hockey team's new downtown home. The bid includes a canal-like waterway, more than 4,000 housing units and other amenities.
The competing Devcore, Canderel and DLS Group also includes a hockey arena in its bid, but characterizes its overall vision for the site as a destination made up of a collection of museums and attractions, strung along a Canadian-themed linear park. The DCDLS bid features less housing than the competing pitch.
1 'preferred proponent' to be picked
The NCC confirmed a presentation will be made to the board next Thursday laying out how a five-member selection committee evaluated the bids, and narrowing the field down to one "preferred proponent".
At its Thursday meeting, the NCC will also release a report that sums up what it heard from the public through nearly 8,000 submissions and two open houses.
The mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau will get to dive into the discussion, because the presentation coincides with their first-ever meeting as non-voting NCC board members.
While the board is expected to settle on the preferred proponent at the meeting, there remain months of negotiation and approvals before the major makeover of LeBreton Flats can begin.