It seems like the idea of a sustainable city has caught a lot of attention in the developed world. The notion of “greening” a city in terms of improving environmental, social and economic initiatives is not a new idea. Cities all over the world are boasting about increasing the number of bike lanes, improving public transit and building more energy efficient buildings that positively impact the quality of life for their citizens. Though the notion of a full-fledged eco-city is still theoretical in many senses, some cities are more active than others in making this a reality.
Ottawa -Canada’s capital- is already known as one of the country’s most environmental cities, but they are looking to improve and make the downtown core more sustainable. The idea of the “Ottawa Eco-District” is an ambitious plan that will find ways to engage the Ottawa community in order to highlight and improve business, improve social cohesion and increase jobs in an economic and sustainable manner. Though the Eco-District may sound like a pipe dream, it is important to note this idea has already been successfully modeled in the American cities of Portland, Oregon, Washington D.C and Seattle, Washington.
This initiative being lead by the “Ottawa Eco-District Steering Committee” has already overcome their biggest hurdle: convincing the city council that this is a necessary enterprise to spur growth. Not only has the city agreed to support the Eco-District but it has agreed to help fund it as well. City surveys have already been completed to identify the number and conditions of the buildings in the down town core and possible strategies for business development.
When speaking to Don Grant, Executive Director of the Ottawa Eco District Inc., he illustrated where changes can already been seen. Visitors and locals alike have access to Bixi bike rentals strategically positioned all over the city, Ottawa University has built Canada’s biggest green wall and the office building at 180 Kent Street has achieved one of the highest levels of LEED certification -CS Platinum status. The Minto Suites Hotel is the city’s leader in sustainable accommodations. Not only does the hotel have a 4-diamond rating for its luxury offerings, but it is also has a five “Green Key” rating for their innovative green initiatives. Minto Suites Hotel also actively engages in car sharing and bike rental programs and has just started a plant a tree program to offset their environmental impact.
Museums also participate in eco initiatives. The Canadian War Museum and Museum of Civilization utilize a dynamic system that allows them to use recycled river water to control the building’s temperature and run restroom facilities. The Canadian War Museum even sports the country’s biggest green roof!
Though the Ottawa Eco District is only in the starting phases it is showing promise for locals and tourists alike. For a city as small as Ottawa, with defined neighbourhoods and diverse sub cultures, projects like this can only make the city better. For those interested in seeing what sustainable projects already exist in Ottawa, contact the tourism board for a self guided tour and mention your interest. Personally I look forward to the development of micro-breweries, new community walking tours and more sustainable forms of transit like Light Rail Trains (LRT), which will make Ottawa even more exciting to live in and visit.
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