Analyze

Each of the key urban structural forms of Downtown Ottawa can be defined geographically: Neighbourhoods, Precincts, Corridors and Waterways. Each defining structure forms a layer of Ottawa's urban form with each supporting unique characteristics. Due to the complexity of any urban area, these four components do not exist in isolation. They overlap with one another, creating different urban conditions and experiences depending on the specific layers present and the characteristics within each. Understanding these layers, their supporting characteristics and where and how they overlap to create different urban conditions is the starting point for analyzing Downtown Ottawa and developing a responsive Urban Design Strategy. Outlined below are each of the key structural layers.

Neighbourhoods

Neighbourhoods form a compact, walkable urban pattern that is primarily residential in character and low to moderate in scale. Some small-scale support services and commercial activities may also be present. A neighbourhood is structured on a fine grain network of thoroughfares or local streets that diffuse traffic across the area. Main Streets, Precincts and Corridors form the boundaries of individual neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhoods are delicate urban places, highly susceptible to negative impacts caused by wider changes around their tightly defined boundaries. The maintenance of healthy stable neighbourhoods is essential to maintaining a vital downtown area. Neighbourhoods need to be preserved and protected.

Although the adjacent neighbourhoods support the downtown, they are outside of the downtown study area and, consequently, not part of this study

15 Neighbourhoods are identified in the Downtown Ottawa area that have been considered in relation to the adjacent study area.

Precincts

Precincts are areas of change. They are far more complex than Neighbourhoods and are the areas where "things happen". As definable districts or areas, Precincts typically function as destinations for cultural, recreational and commercial activities and play an important economic role within the downtown. Precincts accommodate uses that cannot be incorporated into the traditional neighbourhood structure, such as regional shopping, high-density residential developments, business districts, universities or important Civic or Federal functions.

Nine distinct Precincts are identified, including:

1. Downtown West Precinct
2. Business Precinct
3. ByWard Market Precinct
4. Retail, Arts & Theatre Precinct
5. University Precinct
6. Central Canal Area Precinct
7. Centretown East
8. Bank Street Corridor
9. The Federal Precinct

Corridors

Corridors include local and regional connectors and provide linkage within Neighbourhoods or between Neighbourhoods and Precincts. Corridors often provide the transition between the more stable areas (Neighbourhoods) and areas of change (Precincts). They have a significant role in defining the public image or character of a place and are a significant component of the City's open space system. Corridors can act as seams connecting places and neighbourhoods or they can divide, creating barriers to movement, social and economic vitality.

Ten types of Corridors have been identified, including:

1. Confederation Boulevard
2. Main Streets
3. Distinctive Streets
4. Local Precinct Streets
5. Heritage Conservation District Streets
6. Scenic Parkways
7. Bus Streets / Transit ways
8. Highways
9. The Railway & O-Train Corridor
10. Bridge Crossings

Waterways

Waterways are an essential layer of Ottawa's urban form. They act as the seam that both binds areas together while also separating distinct parts of the National Capital Region, such as east Ottawa from downtown Ottawa and the City of Gatineau from the City of Ottawa. In this sense, Waterways may be considered transitional areas. The Waterways contribute to the perception of Ottawa as a beautiful and green city and are a well-loved feature of the Capital. Ottawa's Waterways tend to provide lush, well-landscaped settings, supporting a very limited range of recreational uses.

Four primary Waterways are identified, including:

1. The Ottawa River
2. The Rideau River
3. The Rideau Canal
4. LeBreton Flats Aqueduct & Tailrace

Composite Urban Design Framework Plan

The Urban Design Framework presents a new perspective for how Ottawa's downtown is defined.

The Framework Plan dissects the downtown and breaks it into its most distinctive and geographically definable features. The Framework redefines the core area, expanding it to include several areas not traditionally thought of as Downtown Ottawa.

A strong Framework builds the foundation for a realistic and implementable Strategy that responds to Ottawa's unique context and local urban issues.

Each of the 17 components identified in the following pages comprise the main layers of Ottawa's urban structure. For clarity and organizational purposes, individual components are presented as separate layers. However, as illustrated in the Framework Plan, there is considerable overlap between components - particularly along edges and in areas of transition. The inter-relation of these layers creates a very complex urban structure, creating unique situations and opportunities in different geographic locations across the downtown.

Within each of these layers, a number of distinct design typologies and related issues are encountered. Each of these presents differing challenges which need to be understood independently within their respective contextual environments.

Each strategy developed in subsequent sections will be introduced to address specific urban issues. Each will be different, based upon the mix of layers present and conditions encountered in any one geographic location within Downtown Ottawa.

Ottawa's urban structure is complex and is comprised of a large number of very different, yet inter-related, individual components. This section identifies and explains the importance and influence of each key component.

These components may be viewed as urban sub-layers of the city. When combined, these sub-layers shape the physical form of Downtown Ottawa.

Neighbourhoods The Strategy identifies 15 distinct Neighbourhoods surrounding the downtown precincts. Each Neighbourhood enjoys a unique character and provides critical support to the downtown, acting as stabilizers. Neighbourhoods are very delicate areas that need to be protected.

Heritage Conservation Districts Conserving heritage assets is an important priority for the City. Consequently, the City has given numerous areas a heritage conservation designation. It is important that design issues are addressed within their specific local context. Different heritage issues in different environments require different responses.

Neighbourhoods & Conservation Districts When the Neighbourhood component and Heritage Conservation District component are overlaid, the plan identifies pockets of the downtown that are most fragile and demand the greatest care when introducing new developments.

Precincts Nine distinct precincts are identified within the downtown area. Combined, these precincts form the heart of the Ottawa's economic, social, cultural, educational and business core. Precincts are capable of supporting carefully directed urban growth and change, reinforcing the diversity of the downtown area while retaining authentic environments and character.

Confederation Boulevard This route defines the boundary of the Capital Precinct and ties the City of Ottawa together with the City of Gatineau. The route acts as a seam that links the national with the civic. The Boulevard is the main address for many of the City's tourism-oriented services.

Main Streets Main Streets are key routes that pass through both neighbourhoods and precincts, providing support services. They act as seams that bind together neighbourhoods and precincts providing a focus for day-to-day commercial, social and cultural activities. They support the highest level of mixed-use of all corridors and lend themselves to linear intensification in efforts to preserve and protect neighbourhoods.

Distinctive Streets Distinctive Streets are important due to the image or character they impart to a precinct or neighbourhood. These high profile streets typify the best of an area and are often the premier address and focus for activity. Unlike Main Streets, this focus may not be continuous. Streets are distinctive due to their use, built form characteristics, architectural qualities, streetscape elements, role or function. Distinctive Streets should be the priority improvement areas for the City.

Local Precinct Streets Local Precinct Streets are primarily residential in nature and are the most common of all street types. These streets form the majority of the City's urban grid and function as movement corridors for pedestrian, cycle and vehicular use. They are an essential component of the City's civic space. The quality of these streets can impact neighbourhood and precinct desirability and signal decline, renewal or stability.

Heritage Conservation District Streets Heritage Conservation District Streets take the same form and function as Local Precinct Streets, however, these streets are located in areas designated as Heritage Conservation Districts. Any infill development in these areas must be undertaken in a very sensitive fashion.

Public Transit Routes Outside the downtown, these routes tend to be dedicated corridors and lanes, while within the core they operate on-road as shared routes. Public Transit routes provide an alternative to the car, but also create challenging environments that require substantial attention to alleviate conflicts with pedestrian and other motor vehicles. The function of these routes influences the type and form of development that can be introduced.

Highways The 417 is Ottawa's main connector from suburban and rural Ottawa to the downtown. This route is designed to accommodate a high volume of high speed traffic. As a result of the capacity of this major corridor, edge conditions are very poor. The 417 forms the southernmost edge of the downtown area, creating a physical and psychological barrier between the downtown and neighbourhoods to the south. Access conditions to the 417 need to be addressed.

Parkways, Arrival Roads and Ramps Ottawa's extensive system of landscaped parkways and arrival roads are considered a unique cultural landscape in Ottawa. This system is also heavily used as commuter routes to the downtown. The heavily landscaped edges, and the increasing predominance of large volumes of fast moving vehicles, have created visual and physical separations between the adjacent neighbourhoods and the picturesque Canal side and its pathway system. Actions will be required to restore the integrity of the parkways' cultural landscape, to reintegrate how the parkways meet the city's urban street pattern, and to revive their open space contribution to the downtown.

Bridges and Underpasses Bridges provide the main routes across the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Crossings may be for cars, cyclists or pedestrians. In addition to providing critical linkages between different parts of Ottawa and acting as gateway locations, Bridge Crossings also provide key viewing platforms for the City. The underpasses below the 417 act as the main routes into the downtown from the south. The quality of these entry transitional points needs to be greatly enhanced.

Waterways The Strategy identified four main Waterways within the downtown area which play a key role in defining the public image of the City. Waterways form part of the City's wider movement network and act both as seams that bind parts of the city together as well as major natural barriers that separate areas. Functionally, Waterways can act as Corridors providing citywide linkage between Precincts and Neighbourhoods.

Open Spaces Downtown Ottawa supports an extensive system of green spaces that follow the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal, which provide the picturesque setting for Parliament Hill and some of the Capital's many institutions. In contrast, the built-up areas of the downtown, where people live and work, support relatively few urban open spaces. This lack of green space requires significant actions to increase and enhance the amount and quality of urban open space in the Downtown, and to improve connections to the overall open space network.

Civic Views The Federal Government has identified a number of important views and vantage points to Federal buildings and monuments that it protects within the city. The City of Ottawa also has many important views to offer that are of equal importance. These views capture the best of Ottawa, contribute to creating a positive urban experience and strengthen the local civic identity. Ottawa should safeguard these views.

Land Ownership A significant amount of land in Downtown Ottawa is controlled by public sector interests, including the National Capital Commission, the Federal Government, the Provincial Government and the City of Ottawa. This ownership offers major opportunities for partnership. On its own, the City of Ottawa is in control of an adequate amount of property to make meaningful change in the downtown.

The Plan now transitions from Framework to Strategy to define more targeted and detailed responses for specific design issues. Each specific strategy and guideline is based on the mix of urban layers and framework components present in any given geographic area.