You can review and download the Concept Plan in the Document Library (located on the right) which illustrates and itemizes the anticipated design for the parkette. The proposed park amenities include a water play feature, playground area, a basketball key, a shade shelter, a public gathering area, park furniture, landscape and tree planting and pathways to allow and promote connectivity to the Booth Street Complex pedestrian precinct.
You can leave your comments and feedback using the guestbook link below.
The City of Ottawa is looking for your feedback on the preliminary layout concept for the future Norman Rochester Park.
You can review and download the Concept Plan in the Document Library (located on the right) which illustrates and itemizes the anticipated design for the parkette. The proposed park amenities include a water play feature, playground area, a basketball key, a shade shelter, a public gathering area, park furniture, landscape and tree planting and pathways to allow and promote connectivity to the Booth Street Complex pedestrian precinct.
You can leave your comments and feedback using the guestbook link below.
You need to be signed in to comment in this Guest Book. Click here to Sign In or Register to get involved
I see no need for the park. There is a park just down the street on Norman next to the bank of Nova Scotia. the proposed park is one block from the Commisioner's park which has plenty of greenspace. There are very few children in this area. There is no onsite parking. The basketball nets would only attract the rowdy crowd. We live kitty corner to the proposed park and do not need the increased noise level. This is already a very noisy area with the noise of the emergency vehicles and the loud cars parading up and down Preston Street. A fence would be required to keep people out of the rest of the Booth Complex.
Nei
3 days ago
I would prefer to see more green space in this park. As of now the plans show a large part of this area designated for a "park" are going to be paved or hardscaped, which is disappointing. It would be nice for there to be more green areas to walk dogs and more natural treed areas for shade
Mareike Adams
3 months ago
Given the prominent location of this park near Little Italy's finest culinary attractions, Dow's Lake, the Arboretum and Commissioner's Park, I would like to see more ambition in the design. A water feature (e.g. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6c/12/a7/6c12a7adebbed8ef8ea0e253970f71bd.jpg) at the main entrance that ties in local flora and weaves the Arboretum and Commissioner's Park experience into the heart of Little Italy. An attractive splashpad with colourful, kid-friendly furnishings that actually brings young families to the park. Park benches and a chess board to invite seniors to come read the newspaper and meet for coffee and a game. Family-friendly public washrooms (and a drinking fountain), so that we can start addressing the troubling washroom accessibility problems for unhoused individuals that surfaced during the COVID lockdown.
adm48
5 months ago
I would prefer to see more green space in this plan, especially given the potential loss of Plouffe Park. On the whole, the plan could be more ambitious. Less hardscaping, maybe add a pollinator garden or a community vegetable garden. I don't suppose there's any room to actually create a larger park, but something greener would be more interesting than the typical hardscape-and-plastic parks you see around Ottawa. It's good for kids to be able to interact with natural features, and the shade provided by tree cover is only going to become more necessary as the climate becomes hotter.
Madeleine Gomery
7 months ago
The basketball key should be turned into a basketball court with two nets. Unlike at Chaudiere Park close by on Elm street, this basketball space as proposed by the city is not directly surrounded by residences, it is directly on the corner of Norman and Rochester streets. Therefore the large groups of players and their constant shouting and swearing of for hours on end and night after night for months on end, in violation of the parks bylaw would not bother anybody (unlike at Chaudiere Park). To alleviate the pressure on Chaudiere Park (also the size of a parkette) a court with two nets needs to be built at this new Norman Rochester Park. The city needs to apply some cohesiveness in how it builds spaces for basketball in its small parks in the downtown core. Why would the city limit the size of a basketball area in a park with no homes in close proximity when it has decided to build a court with two nets at Chaudiere Park, a parkette surrounded by homes on all sides and right next to a wading pool? The city should not use the Norman Rochester Park to fix the mistakes it made at Chaudiere Park. Build a court with two nets at Norman Rochester Park, exactly the same size as that on Elm street and do the right thing, alleviate the pressure on Chaudiere Park.
Danchat
almost 2 years ago
Please consider shade options incorporated as part of the water feature and public space.
Ceesmidgins
almost 2 years ago
We need more greenspace in our neighbourhood, so it is great to have a new park. However, about half of this space is going to be hardscaped, so not exactly green. This is not great for rainwater management and will be hot during the summer as the trees on the design will take decades to grow to the size to produce the level of shade indicated (of course provided they actually have soil to grow in and not many underground infrastructure). Could perhaps the splashpad be smaller to make way for greenspace? Would love to know the timeline, whether this park will be built first or the construction around it has to be completed? Yesterday the site is still a wasteland, I imagine a lot of soil rehabilitation will have to be done after the concrete and gravel is removed.
Sophie
almost 2 years ago
The playground, splash pad, basketball key, etc are all great. Please ensure that the final design of the entire park area will integrate well with the industrial nature of the Booth Street Complex (i.e. use of red brick and other elements similar to the heritage buildings of the area). This is an opportunity for Ottawa to have a "distillery district" of our own and not a mishmash of styles that results in the design looking like an afterthought.
MakeYOWgreat
almost 2 years ago
Unless the park is able to be locked at night, it likely will become a gathering place for criminals or those with interests in disturbing the peace, There should be no doubt that criminal elements are active in this community, we have a history of such activity in the community.
I see no need for the park. There is a park just down the street on Norman next to the bank of Nova Scotia. the proposed park is one block from the Commisioner's park which has plenty of greenspace. There are very few children in this area. There is no onsite parking. The basketball nets would only attract the rowdy crowd. We live kitty corner to the proposed park and do not need the increased noise level. This is already a very noisy area with the noise of the emergency vehicles and the loud cars parading up and down Preston Street. A fence would be required to keep people out of the rest of the Booth Complex.
I would prefer to see more green space in this park. As of now the plans show a large part of this area designated for a "park" are going to be paved or hardscaped, which is disappointing. It would be nice for there to be more green areas to walk dogs and more natural treed areas for shade
Given the prominent location of this park near Little Italy's finest culinary attractions, Dow's Lake, the Arboretum and Commissioner's Park, I would like to see more ambition in the design. A water feature (e.g. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6c/12/a7/6c12a7adebbed8ef8ea0e253970f71bd.jpg) at the main entrance that ties in local flora and weaves the Arboretum and Commissioner's Park experience into the heart of Little Italy. An attractive splashpad with colourful, kid-friendly furnishings that actually brings young families to the park. Park benches and a chess board to invite seniors to come read the newspaper and meet for coffee and a game. Family-friendly public washrooms (and a drinking fountain), so that we can start addressing the troubling washroom accessibility problems for unhoused individuals that surfaced during the COVID lockdown.
I would prefer to see more green space in this plan, especially given the potential loss of Plouffe Park. On the whole, the plan could be more ambitious. Less hardscaping, maybe add a pollinator garden or a community vegetable garden. I don't suppose there's any room to actually create a larger park, but something greener would be more interesting than the typical hardscape-and-plastic parks you see around Ottawa. It's good for kids to be able to interact with natural features, and the shade provided by tree cover is only going to become more necessary as the climate becomes hotter.
The basketball key should be turned into a basketball court with two nets. Unlike at Chaudiere Park close by on Elm street, this basketball space as proposed by the city is not directly surrounded by residences, it is directly on the corner of Norman and Rochester streets. Therefore the large groups of players and their constant shouting and swearing of for hours on end and night after night for months on end, in violation of the parks bylaw would not bother anybody (unlike at Chaudiere Park). To alleviate the pressure on Chaudiere Park (also the size of a parkette) a court with two nets needs to be built at this new Norman Rochester Park. The city needs to apply some cohesiveness in how it builds spaces for basketball in its small parks in the downtown core. Why would the city limit the size of a basketball area in a park with no homes in close proximity when it has decided to build a court with two nets at Chaudiere Park, a parkette surrounded by homes on all sides and right next to a wading pool? The city should not use the Norman Rochester Park to fix the mistakes it made at Chaudiere Park. Build a court with two nets at Norman Rochester Park, exactly the same size as that on Elm street and do the right thing, alleviate the pressure on Chaudiere Park.
Please consider shade options incorporated as part of the water feature and public space.
We need more greenspace in our neighbourhood, so it is great to have a new park. However, about half of this space is going to be hardscaped, so not exactly green. This is not great for rainwater management and will be hot during the summer as the trees on the design will take decades to grow to the size to produce the level of shade indicated (of course provided they actually have soil to grow in and not many underground infrastructure). Could perhaps the splashpad be smaller to make way for greenspace? Would love to know the timeline, whether this park will be built first or the construction around it has to be completed? Yesterday the site is still a wasteland, I imagine a lot of soil rehabilitation will have to be done after the concrete and gravel is removed.
The playground, splash pad, basketball key, etc are all great. Please ensure that the final design of the entire park area will integrate well with the industrial nature of the Booth Street Complex (i.e. use of red brick and other elements similar to the heritage buildings of the area). This is an opportunity for Ottawa to have a "distillery district" of our own and not a mishmash of styles that results in the design looking like an afterthought.
Unless the park is able to be locked at night, it likely will become a gathering place for criminals or those with interests in disturbing the peace, There should be no doubt that criminal elements are active in this community, we have a history of such activity in the community.