I mentioned I was working on a magazine assignment highlighting a downtown Ottawa ‘secret’ Olympic training site. It’s a slalom whitewater kayak and canoe course within metres of the office towers in the central core.
Downtown Ottawa’s ‘Pumphouse’ with downtown Hull in the distance.
Ottawa’s downtown water pumping station near Bronson and Wellington has provided necessary waterworks infrastructure for the city of Ottawa for over a century. The Ottawa River Runners have been paddling there for years.
Three years ago a pedestrian slipped on the crumbling banks of the waterway and drowned. The city shut the whole site down and stripped the banks of the waterway.
The Pumphouse at low water – LeBreton Flats development behind.
Central Ottawa is now left with a beautiful green space – don’t dare call it a park – and a world class facility producing Olympic athletes.
Sarah Boudens and James Cartwright – athletes training at the site – are representing Canada at he Beijing Olympics!
The feature will appear in Ottawa Magazine in the spring or early summer 2009. James Hale will be writing the article around my photos.
Harry
