M E M O / N O T E D E S E R V I C E

Information previously distributed / Information distribué auparavant

TO: Chair and Members of Built Heritage Sub-Committee

DESTINATAIRE : Présidente et membres du sous-comité du patrimoine bâti

FROM: Court Curry, MacKenzie Kimm: Manager, Heritage Planning /Planning, Right of Way, Heritage and Urban Infrastructure and Economic Design Services/ Planning, Development Department Infrastructure and Economic 613-580-2424, 15203 Development Department MacKenzie.Kimm@.ca

EXPÉDITEUR : Court Curry, Personne ressource : Gestionnaire, MacKenzie Kimm Services des emprises, du patrimoine et Planification du patrimoine/ du design urbain / Services de planification, d'infrastructure Services de planification, d'infrastructure et de développement économique et de développement économique 613-580-2424, 15203 [email protected]

DATE: May 28, 2021

28 mai 2021

FILE NUMBER: ACS2021-PIE-RHU-0020

SUBJECT: Proposed Replacement

OBJET : Projet de remplacement du pont Alexandra

PURPOSE

In 2019, the Government of Canada directed that the Alexandra Bridge be replaced within the next 10 years due to its state of structural deterioration. In response to this upcoming project, the purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Department’s position on the heritage significance of the Alexandra Bridge. It is also to provide an update regarding recent conversations between staff and Public Services and Procurement Canada (the department responsible for managing the bridge), including what are understood to be the next steps in the project, and how the City’s interests can be represented going forward.

BACKGROUND

The Alexandra Bridge was constructed between 1898-1901 and spans the from , to the Canadian Museum of History in the Hull district of . When it was first opened, the bridge was the fourth longest cantilever span in the world. Over time, the bridge has become a landmark for both Ottawa and Gatineau, representing the interconnectedness of the National Capital Region, in addition to providing the physical link between both cities. As one of the five interprovincial crossings, the bridge accommodates approximately nine percent of the average daily vehicle traffic and 33 percent of all active mobility users crossing the Ottawa River.

In 1995, the bridge was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Site by the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers. On May 10, 2017 Ottawa City Council approved the inclusion of the Alexandra Bridge on the City’s Heritage Register for its cultural heritage value or interest.

In 2017, PSPC completed a Life cycle cost analysis and replacement study for the Alexandra Bridge. In 2019, in consideration of the bridge’s deteriorating condition, increasing maintenance costs and propensity to disrupt traffic, as well as current and future transportation needs, the Government of Canada directed that the bridge be replaced within 10 years. The replacement project is part of the federally mandated Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan, which is intended to identify options to improve interprovincial transportation in the National Capital Region.

In the fall of 2020, the National Capital Commission (NCC) in partnership with PSPC, launched the first of five phases of public consultation on the bridge replacement project. The NCC’s website notes that “over 2,300 participants took part in the consultation” and that “a significant number of participants have expressed a profound attachment to the heritage elements of the bridge.” On April 30, 2021, a coalition of interprovincial, multi-disciplinary stakeholders was formed to advocate for the retention of the bridge. The Alexandra Bridge Coalition is made up of advocates from heritage, transportation, and environmental sectors such as Heritage Ottawa and La Fédération Histoire Québec (FHQ), Transportation Canada, Action Vélo Outaouais (AVO), and Greenspace Alliance for Canada’s Capital, in addition to several local community associations. The website for the coalition proposes that the Bridge be “retained for its national built heritage value and significance, and repurposed for green infrastructure.” Given the proposed replacement, the Alexandra Bridge was also recently added to the National Trust for Canada’s Endangered Places List, which annually identifies the Top 10 historic places in Canada that are considered to be under threat and at risk.

DISCUSSION

Cultural Heritage Value and Significance of The Alexandra Bridge

City Council has previously recognized that the Alexandra Bridge has cultural heritage value or interest through its inclusion on the City of Ottawa Heritage Register in 2017 under Section 27 (1.2) of the Heritage Act. While the bridge is not designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, Heritage Planning staff are of the opinion that the bridge clearly meets all three criteria for establishing cultural heritage value or interest under Ontario Regulation 09/06 and would be a strong candidate for individual designation. In addition, staff believe that the bridge also has national significance for its design, historic and contextual values, as outlined below.

The Alexandra Bridge was constructed between 1898-1901 and designed by the Lachine, -based Dominion Bridge Co. Ltd. The bridge was designed as a multi- modal bridge with rail tracks and two pedestrian footpaths, as well as cantilevered decks for road and streetcar traffic. According to the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers’ website “at the time of its opening the bridge was the fourth longest cantilever (pin-connected truss) span in the world.” When the bridge first opened, it represented an outstanding achievement in engineering; the use of concrete foundations and exclusive use of steel for its superstructure was considered to be pioneering at the time. It was also the largest structure entirely constructed of steel in North America. The bridge is internationally recognized for its innovative cantilevered design, which was conceived and executed by Canadian engineers and designers at a time when most major projects in Canada were designed and built by non-Canadian companies. The Alexandra Bridge is also a key component of the landscape of Confederation Boulevard, Ottawa’s ceremonial route which connects sites, landscapes and buildings of national significance on both sides of the Ottawa River, including Parliament Hill and its surrounding buildings and monuments.

Request for Access to Prepared Reports and Future Engagement

On May 25, 2021, heritage staff met virtually with the Director for National Capital Region Bridges in the Department of Public Services and Procurement Canada who provided some background on the project as well as offered details on the next steps in the project. In order to help the City better understand the requirement for replacement, and the weight given to the heritage importance of the bridge in the Government’s decision-making, staff have requested to review a number of documents that were commissioned and led to the decision, including a copy of the life cycle cost analysis and replacement study for the Alexandra Bridge undertaken in 2017 (as noted on PSPC’s website) as well as any other condition assessments.

PSPC has advised that the next step in the project is to undertake an Impact Assessment process and that a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) has been prioritized as part of this larger evaluation. Staff are of the opinion that the results of this assessment should inform the conversation for any replacement structure, including appropriate mitigation measures and guidance for how the cultural heritage value of the bridge can be conserved/commemorated as the project proceeds.

Finally, although the Alexandra Bridge is part of PSPC’s portfolio and managed at the federal level, it is an important element of the region’s transportation network, as well as an iconic landmark for the National Capital Region. In the spirt of cross-jurisdiction collaboration with our federal counterparts, staff have also made a request to be included as stakeholders in next planned stages of consultation and as part of the HIA process. PSPC has indicated that staff’s participation would be welcome and encouraged.

Original signed by

Court Curry

CC: MacKenzie Kimm

Vivi Chi