Westboro Beach is a key hub on the Ottawa side of the historic Ottawa River. The NCC is creating a more vibrant, active space that will improve the quality of life of residents and the experience of visitors.
The latest on the project
Westboro Beach is scheduled to reopen in summer 2025. The park pavilion roofing and site levelling is now complete, and landscaping will begin in May.
Summer 2024 at Westboro Beach
An unsupervised section of Westboro Beach will be open to the public. No lifeguards will be on duty and no water testing will be done; therefore, swimming is at your own risk.
The NCC will provide onsite amenities such as garbage bins and portable washrooms for public use.
The parking lot will not be open for public use due to the construction along the Kichi Zībī Mīkan. Limited public parking is available at the corner of Lanark Avenue and Kirchoffer Avenue.
The Capital Pathway at Westboro Beach is closed. The NCC has detours in place during the construction period.
What to expect from the final design
The Board of Directors approved the final design for the Westboro Beach pavilion and landscape on April 7, 2022. Improvement on the site will include:
- New zero-carbon pavilion with restaurant and community space
- Rehabilitated heritage structure featuring modern accessible and gender-neutral washrooms
- Universally accessible pathways and water access
- Riverfront lookouts with interpretive content about the history of site
- Children’s play area thematically linked to the site’s history
- Picnic and volleyball areas
- Outdoor showers
As part of the revitalization of Westboro Beach, the NCC will convert the existing parking lot at Kitchissippi Lookout into green space and a park, and is building a new parking lot on the other side of the parkway.
About the project
Westboro Beach is one of the green spaces covered by the Ottawa River South Shore Riverfront Park Plan. The plan calls for the creation of a continuous, 9-km riverfront park connecting LeBreton Flats to Mud Lake. It also provides guidance on facilities, amenities and design improvements needed at Westboro Beach.
The NCC and the City of Ottawa have an agreement for the light rail transit Stage 2 project. As part of this agreement, the City will finance parkland improvements on a 2.5-km stretch of the riverfront park, including the proposed improvements at Westboro Beach.
Project Milestones
The Westboro Beach area redevelopment project is one of the first steps in making the Ottawa River South Shore Riverfront Park Plan a reality.
- Community meeting about Westboro Beach parking lot (south side)
- Ottawa River South Shore Riverfront Park plan approved by NCC Board of Directors (June)
- Internal design competition (March–October)
- Two in-person workshops and one online public consultation (April–June)
- Demolition of two derelict buildings at 234 Atlantis Avenue (June)
- Public consultations on the proposed design (winter)
- Detailed design and tendering for the Westboro Beach pavilion and landscape plan
- Proposed schematic design submitted to NCC Board of Directors (January)
- Construction of services, as well as parkway intersection and realignment by City of Ottawa’s LRT contractors
- Construction of the Westboro Beach parking lot (on the other side of the parkway)
- Final design approved by NCC Board of Directors (April)
- Construction of the new and revitalized Westboro Beach pavilion and landscape
- All concrete and support materials for the building's structure completed
- The structural framework of the new pavilion installed
- New pavilion's interior and exterior walls completed, along with windows and glass wall
- Pavilions to be completed
- Landscaping work to be completed
Public engagement
For an overview of what we have heard throughout this process, see the public consultation reports.
Budget
This major project involves the rehabilitation of a heritage structure and the addition of a zero-carbon pavillon. It will create a more vibrant and active space that will improve the quality of life of visitors and residents. The public amenities will be modern, inclusive and accessible.
The forecasted budget for this project is approximately $21 million ($20,980,000).