West Ottawa and Kanata North are growing and thriving communities, and there is a lot going on as these areas continue to see new residents and businesses moving in. Here are some recent events and news items that locals should be aware of, and are examples of just what makes these communities thrive.

 

LRT Kanata

Ottawa’s city council has unanimously approved the environmental assessment for extension of the light rail transit system into Kanata and Stittsville. The approved construction plan calls for an extension that will follow the Queensway highway from Moodie Drive to Terry Fox, through the residential neighbourhoods at Campeau Drive. From there the track would be elevated above street level, and would run around the Canadian Tire Centre to end at Hazeldean Road. The extension is estimated to cost $710 million, and will be part of the city’s plans to continue improving transit infrastructure. However, no money from the current budget has been put aside for this particular project, and it likely won’t be built until after 2031.

Moodie Transitway

The OC Transpo Transitway has been extended through Bayshore, all the way to Moodie Drive. The Moodie station (station #3042) was opened December 24^th of last year, and was built to speed up bus access to Kanata and Stittsville by avoiding the highway for as long as possible. The station is only one stop from Bayshore, and serves a wide number of bus routes, including the 60 and 260 series, and several 100, 300, and 400 series bus routes as well.

 

The Department of National Defence’s Move to the Carling Nortel Campus

The Department of National Defence has plans to move more than half of local staff members and employees to the old Nortel Networks Campus at 60 Moodie Drive. The campus will serve as DND’s new headquarters, but there have been delays and cost overruns throughout the project. The first phase of the project is now complete though, with roughly 3500 employees having completed the transition from other local offices within the Ottawa region. Completion of the next two phases is estimated to occur at the end of March, 2020, assuming there are no other delays in the meantime, which means the project will be completed at least a year later than previously estimated. Even without the move being completed, there are already some effects on Ottawa’s housing market. Price momentum has been noticeable stronger in the city’s west end than elsewhere for the last several months, though it is still unclear as to how much of this is directly the result of DND’s move.

 

The Carp Hills Achieve Protected Status

A victory was won for local conservation efforts in April, when it was announced that the Canadian Government, City of Ottawa, Ducks Unlimited, and a number of private donors had come together to purchase 178 hectares of land in the Carp Hills, in Ottawa’s west end. This land was purchased in order to keep the area “pristine for wildlife and for people – now, and into the future,” and will be managed by Ducks Unlimited and a local volunteer organization called Friends of the Carp Hills. The area will still be available for “low-impact” recreation, such as hiking and cross-country skiing, but is being protected as an area of rich biodiversity and a home to many species of plants and animals.

 

Carp Airport Transforms to Ottawa’s First Airpark

The Carp Airport is seeing big changes, as it is being converted into Ottawa’s first airpark. This new community combines a small business park with a gated community for airplane enthusiasts, where residents can pay for their own hangar and runway access. People who love planes but do not have one of their own can also purchase a home without a runway connection for a lower price tag. The new community hopes to attract airplane enthusiasts and frequent flyers, as well as business that make frequent use of aircraft.

 

The Carp Road Corridor Business Improvement Area Speaks for Local Businesses

If you have driven up Carp Road between Stittsville and Carp, you have likely noticed the ongoing development of residential, commercial, and industrial properties. For more information on this ongoing growth, check out The Carp Road Corridor BIA (Business Improvement Area). This is a local organization where local business work together for mutual benefit. This organization provides business-related services to members, works to bring new business into the area, and is now planning marketing activities to draw in more customers and clients for local business. The BIA also works with local business to address needs and issues that are shared by members, such as advocating for improvements to roads, transit access, and hydro service within the Carp Road Corridor. An example of the improvements the BIA is making is advocating for the extension of municipal water services into the area.

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