after decades of complaints about secrecy and foot-dragging, in recent years the national capital commission has been racking up the wins.
its $20-million makeover of the river house in new edinburgh has proved hugely popular, as have the bistros the ncc opened at paterson creek, remic rapids and, most recently, bate island.
on saturday, the commission showed off some of those successes in its third annual “open ncc” event, inviting the public for a sneak peek of major projects such as kiweki point (formerly known as nepean point) and the new restaurant and pavilion at westboro beach.
westoboro beach redevelopment project area.
robert cross
while some events were simple drop-ins for guided walks at popular sites such gatineau park, mer bleue bog and pinhey sand dunes, others required advance registration. all three 1.5-hour rides on the electric ekau canal cruise boat were quickly filled, as were guided bike tours along the kichi zibi mikan parkway and a walk-through of the ongoing construction at westboro beach.
the wesboro beach pavilion closed in the spring of 2022 and the $21-million project was supposed to have been completed by the fall of 2023. pandemic-related delays mean the facility won’t be ready until the spring of 2025.