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In the wreckage of failure, it so often happens, lies an open door.
On July 31, Domtar Corp. announced it is shutting industrial operations in the heart of the capital, ending almost 200 years of lumber- and paper-making above the rush of the Chaudière Falls.
It was a jarring turn. About 250 workers are losing well-paying jobs as Domtar embarks on the final withdrawal from its milling operations on an Ottawa River island and the Gatineau shore.
Lost—at least unspoken—in the wake of the news was this: Domtar’s departure finally allows the National Capital Commission to seize or control the last big piece of private land along Ottawa’s ceremonial core.
The NCC and its predecessors, from Jean Pigott to Jacques Gréber, have coveted the site for decades.
Chaudière Island, in particular, possesses great potential. Its seven hectares provide access to the boiling cauldron that is Chaudière Falls—today largely hidden from public view—and open the opportunity for a centre illustrating the capital’s heritage of industrial milling.
Time has only made the site more precious in the federal firmament.
On the Ottawa side, residential construction on LeBreton Flats, events like Bluesfest and the opening of the Canadian War Museum have finally transformed a wasteland on the core’s western end.
On the Quebec side, the Canadian Museum of Civilization continues to anchor the central ring, while the NCC has solidified its hold on the Scott Paper lands.
The former E.B. Eddy land and Chaudière Island have always been the missing links.
François Lapointe is the NCC’s director of planning, design and land use. Yesterday, he reiterated the commission’s longstanding interest in the properties and agreed a golden opportunity had suddenly arisen.
“If you look at our core-area plan, these properties, being riverfront and adjacent to Confederation Boulevard, it’s clear they are of great interest, long term, for the federal government.” He admitted the Crown corporation was surprised by the timing of Domtar’s announcement. The conventional thinking was that milling might continue for another 10 to 20 years.
“This announcement has changed things. I would think we would have to relook at the whole area and the whole approach and strategize around it.” In the short term, he said, the NCC has to respect Domtar’s desire to deal with the closing—expected in October—and its exiting employees.
“It’s not imminent,” said Mr. Lapointe, an acting vice-president, “but hopefully, within the next year, I would hope, some kind of position would be established.”
Mr. Lapointe also said the NCC has to recognize the company may try to sell the properties to another industrial user. In that case, the Crown would make its interest known to the City of Gatineau, which controls zoning.
It is also not out of the question that the NCC could pursue a purchase, lease-back plan, as it did with the Scott property.
In that case, the NCC bought the eight-hectare site—near the civilization museum—and leased it back to Montreal-based Kruger Inc., which makes paper towel and tissue paper, for as long as 25 years.
“Clearly, at the federal level, we would have to establish a clear interest and align that with the resources necessary to guarantee the long-term interest of the federal government is not compromised.” In other words, the NCC will not allow Wal-Mart to set up shop next week.
Domtar has been withdrawing from the riverside in stages.
In July 2003, Domtar removed an 80-metre smokestack that had been a landmark on Chaudière Island. In December 2005, Domtar announced the closure of a paper-making mill on the island. Last month’s news involved a plant on Eddy Street on the Gatineau shore. In all, Domtar owns about 60 different buildings and will continue to maintain an interest in a power plant on site.
The stars may be aligning for Chaudière Island.
The area’s two most influential federal cabinet ministers, John Baird and Lawrence Cannon, have told the Citizen they favour public development of rivershore in the capital’s central area.
A spokesman for Domtar said the company has not been approached by the NCC since the news broke two weeks ago.
However, Patrice Bourgoin said there were discussions with the Crown corporation after the first closure 18 months ago. However, the talks did not reach a firm conclusion.
Mr. Bourgoin said the company is not simply looking to sell the asset to the highest bidder. It knows a heavy industrial use is probably out of the question. “We want to sit down with the local authorities and say ‘what are your priorities’ and, this being said, we will try to find a perfect fit.”
The NCC does not have firm plans for the sites. In concept drawings, however, it envisions walkways on the islands, elevated viewing areas for the falls and a water-taxi landing.
On adjacent Victoria Island, it has early plans for an aboriginal centre, with 137,000 square feet of space, a renovated Carbide Mill, lookouts, footbridges and a floating quay.
Comparisons to Vancouver’s Granville Island are often made.
The NCC, the two cities, need to seize this opportunity. It has taken 200 years to undo the intrusion that industry has wrought. The moment must not pass.
Contact Kelly Egan at 726-5896 or by e-mail, kegan@thecitizen.canwest.com