NCC Board of Directors receives update on the Gatineau Park Master Plan review

The members of the NCC Board of Directors have received an update on the status of the Gatineau Park Master Plan review. As the Capital’s conservation park, Gatineau Park is a prime destination which attracts some 2.6 million visits each year. The NCC regularly reviews the Gatineau Park Master Plan to ensure that the Park continues to be a source of inspiration, education and recreation for the National Capital Region, while also protecting and conserving its natural richness.

As part of this third phase of the current master plan review, in November 2018, the NCC sought public feedback on key considerations for the Park. More than 4,500 individuals commented on the operations and management of the parkways, the Curley Lake Trail and Camp Fortune. The NCC will also be consulting on a land use concept and designations, as well as strategic direction and policies. The consultation for the land use concept and designations will take place between February 19 and 28 in Gatineau, Chelsea, Pontiac and La Pêche.

Members of the public will also be able to participate in the review of the Gatineau Park Master Plan through an online survey, available on the NCC website from Tuesday, February 19, 2019, at 6 pm until Sunday, March 3, 2019, at midnight.

Once the review is complete in 2020, the Gatineau Park Master Plan will outline a 50-year vision for the Park, and guide the Park’s management over the next decade.

NEXT STEPS

The next part of the consultation process for the Gatineau Park Master Plan review regarding the directions and policies will be in spring 2019.

QUICK FACTS

• The Gatineau Park Master Plan is for the long-term planning use and management of Gatineau Park. The plan envisions Gatineau Park as a model for protecting natural and cultural heritage. The current Gatineau Park Master Plan was completed in 2005.
• Gatineau Park, just 15 minutes from Parliament Hill, is the Capital’s conservation park. Covering 36,131 hectares (361 square kilometres), the Park lies in an area where the Canadian Shield meets the St. Lawrence Lowlands and where the Gatineau River meets the Ottawa River. With its unique and diversified ecosystems and heritage features, Gatineau Park is a prime destination that attracts some 2.6 million visits each year.