Construction of Berms at Connaught Park

The NCC has received a Federal Land Use Approval application from the City of Ottawa for the construction of berms - raised landscape features of compacted soil - at Connaught Park on NCC property. These berms would be created using soil excavated in the Connaught Park area as part of the Stage 2 Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) Confederation Line extension. Current plans indicate that up to 40,000 m3 of excavated soil will be used to construct the berms. Only clean soil that meets Ontario Regulation 153 Table 1 criteria will be used, as verified by a qualified professional prior to its placement on NCC property.

 

The original soil management plan, submitted to and approved by the NCC as part of the overall OLRT Stage 2 construction, was to haul this excess 40,000 m3 of material to landfill. Instead, the City of Ottawa proposes to beneficially reuse the soil in landscaping that will incorporate the strategic location of berms to result in improved drainage in Connaught Park and provide both a visual and noise buffer between the nearby residential area and OLRT infrastructure. The reuse of clean soil in this manner preserves the capacity of local landfills and reduces truck hauling and its associated greenhouse gas emissions, consistent with the objectives of the NCC's Sustainable Development Strategy.

 

The size and location of the berms have been designed to preserve existing trees to the greatest extent possible. Current plans require the removal of two trees between 10cm and 25cm diameter at breast height (DBH) and two trees greater than 25cm DBH. The landscape plan will incorporate planting over 200 new trees, exceeding the NCC's typical 2:1 compensation ratio. Also included in the plan are invasive species removal and seeding with native mixes beneficial to wildlife and pollinators. Revegetation will progress as the berms are completed. Tree planting will occur in stages as weather permits to ensure optimal survivability of a diverse selection of species.

 

Construction of the berms is expected to begin in August and continue through November 2020.

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Latest update

The public comment period on the project is closed. The National Capital Commission is considering comments received to help inform its determination on whether the proposed project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

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Key documents

Key documents
Document Number Document Title File Date
1 Public Notice - Construction of Berms at Connaught Park - July 13, 2020

Contacts

National Capital Commission
Environmental Assessment
40 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5A8
Email: IA-EI@ncc-ccn.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Connaught Park (Ontario)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Soil management

  • Assessment Status

    Terminated

  • Start Date

    2020-07-13

  • Proponent

    City of Ottawa

  • Authorities

    • National Capital Commission

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    80840

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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