Former CFB Rockcliffe Community Design Plan
Former CFB Rockcliffe Community Design Plan [ PDF 9.812 MB ]
Appendix [ PDF 8.131 MB ]
The former Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Rockcliffe is the largest undeveloped piece of land within the Ottawa Greenbelt. This 131 hectare redevelopment site is at an exceptional location on high ground which overlooks the Ottawa River. It is bounded on multiple sides by greenspace systems along the Rockcliffe and Aviation Parkways, the Montfort Woods and a treed escarpment.
The base was decommissioned many years ago, and the opportunity exists today to reconnect this site back into the urban fabric of the city and create a highly desirable mixed-use community for approximately 9,800 residents. The long-term development period to full build-out is estimated to be 15-20 years. There is also the opportunity to provide space for a variety of employment uses providing approximately 2,600 permanent jobs.
Due to the proximity to the downtown, the new community will allow for more intensive development than in the outer suburbs, yet at a lower scale than one would see closer to the core. A variety of housing types will provide a range of choices for people with different housing needs. A community core will have the greatest mix of land uses to provide amenities to the new neighbourhoods, and it will also have the most active and vibrant streets in the community.
A modified grid of collector and local roadways will meet the community's mobility needs and create an outstanding public realm including spacious sidewalks, multi-use pathways, and enhanced streetscaping.
A hierarchy of public park spaces provide opportunities to appreciate the drama of the Ottawa River and meet local recreational needs. This park system will be interconnected by a series of pathways that will be integrated with the stormwater management system.
Planning Area Boundaries
The Planning Area is a 131 hectare site located within the Greenbelt. It is approximately bordered by the Aviation Parkway to the west, the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway to the north, the National Research Council (NRC) Campus to the east and Montreal Road to the south. The majority (125.5 ha) of the site is owned by Canada Lands Company. The remaining 5.3 hectares of the site are owned by the National Research Council. The site location is shown in Figure 1.1.
This is the last vacant site of this size located within the Greenbelt that is available for development.