Ottawa Aquarium

[beowulf]

I am home sick today with a nice cold and the start of pneumonia and was watching tv and flipped onto the local Rogers channel.  What was playing was a press conference about the redevelopment of Landsdown by the 67s owner and a few other Ottawa business people.  From what I heard, and mind you I have a bit of a fever and I am kind of out of it, was that on top of retail and hotel space they want to build an aquarium.  Anyone else hear this or know more?

[sdivell]

Yes an aquarium is part of the proposed plan for this site along with a number of ponds.  But I wouldn't get too excited. No doubt this will all be redesigned and 'value engineered' to make more money and spend less on redeveloping this site.  OR knowing the city of ottawa they will throw this out and put it back out to design competition.

[Vizerdrix]

There has been an aquarium "in the works" for the greater Ottawa area since I can remember.  My advice: don't hold your breath!

[kennyman]

they were reporting on cbc radio that the proposal had a walk-through aquarium. So some tanks in the walls of the lobby I guess. They are only submitting plans at this point. Although I guess if ovas wants to chip in on the $120M project it might help guarantee some kind if tank in the lobby 

[davemaria]

i cant wait till they tear landsdown -down finally. no more CFL, wasted space. ya the EX and concerts will be missed. They should have built the corel or is it paladium, no what is it now scotia bank place there. An aquarium would be nice there and an indoor flea market would be nice..

[Iceman]

If our city councillors are involved, then expect nothing. Eighty percent of our city council have too much money in their pockets to make a rational decision. They are very far out of touch which reality.

Fish? Can't you catch them in the Canal?

[barabe]

I designed an attraction park (aquarium and mini-zoo) on Kettle Island with mini-rail transportation from both sides of the river many many years ago... Never had the energy, funds, backup to pursue it... Sure would be a dream come through to see it happen AND a pretty fantastic money maker for the NCC!!! Don't you think?

[kennyman]

i cant wait till they tear landsdown -down finally. no more CFL, wasted space. ya the EX and concerts will be missed. They should have built the corel or is it paladium, no what is it now scotia bank place there. An aquarium would be nice there and an indoor flea market would be nice..

I am pretty sure the proposed aquarium is just to pretty up the lobby of a building for the new CFL franchise and a possible Pro Soccer team. 

[sdivell]

I am pretty sure the proposed aquarium is just to pretty up the lobby of a building for the new CFL franchise and a possible Pro Soccer team. 

I'll defunk this one.  The proposed aquarium has nothing to do with a lobby or the stadium. The aquarium will be a large zoo-type display with a walking tunnel for underwater viewing - it will be part of the grounds outside of the stadium and will have a seperate entrance fee just like going to any zoo or museum etc...see link below for renderings

http://www.lansdownelive.ca/gallery.asp?id=6

All this being said the whole project will probably be turned down by the city and sent out to a competitve design bid... but we'll see.

[kennyman]

I'll defunk this one.  The proposed aquarium has nothing to do with a lobby or the stadium. The aquarium will be a large zoo-type display with a walking tunnel for underwater viewing - it will be part of the grounds outside of the stadium and will have a seperate entrance fee just like going to any zoo or museum etc...see link below for renderings

http://www.lansdownelive.ca/gallery.asp?id=6

All this being said the whole project will probably be turned down by the city and sent out to a competitive design bid... but we'll see.

Well I'm glad you clarified that. It is much more ambitions than I would have expected. But as you say that is not likely to pass in that form. That is just concept stage.

[celamllmal]

I think it would be really nice to have an aquarium in Ottawa.  I have been hoping for one for a long time.  They will most likely change the design but considering the proposed size, we might end up with some type of aquarium after all!

[Pistol_pete]

After looking at some of the member's signatures, I think some of us have enough tanks to start our own public aquariums.

I'm scared that if the city is involved, Larry the mayor guy will just make a Koi pond and give himself and all the councillors a raise for it. I just don't have much faith in the current local government.