Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Good afternoon.
I am happy to be with you again today.
I am accompanied by Alain Miguelez, vice-president, capital planning and chief planner at the National Capital Commission.
In our role as principal planner of the NCR, we are pleased to be here with you today to provide our observations on the long-term impacts of the closure of Wellington Street.
In June we had the opportunity to highlight the importance of rethinking the stretch of Wellington Street in the parliamentary precinct as the symbolic heart of our nation along Confederation Boulevard. We discussed with you at that time how its reimagining should occur in the context of a number of ambitious capital and city building projects currently under way. These include projects such as the Cliff plant, the Alexandra Bridge replacement, the revitalization of the former Nepean Point and, of course, the rehabilitation of Centre Block.
We feel that this reimagining could also usefully think about studying and enhancing the street in its entirety from the Portage Bridge all the way to the east where it meets Rideau Street, which is an important intersection at the heart of our capital. This exercise could also fit well with an exercise that the NCC is currently engaged with, which is the renewal of one of our master plans, the capital core area sector plan, which will set out the vision for this area for the next 10 to 15 years.
From the NCC's perspective, it is also an opportunity to reimagine the space and contribute to an enhanced visitor experience and overall public realm, and to reconsider how the public will interact with the parliamentary precinct and experience the site of Canada's seat of government. This could include animation of the area and opportunities to build on the NCC's work with PSPC, expanding and complementing the current retail offerings on Sparks Street. This would give parliamentarians, their staff, residents and visitors a new way to interact with the area, while also contributing to the economic recovery and sustainability of the core of Canada's capital.
On the question of public transit, which I know we discussed in June, the work of the NCC transit office is well under way. This office will work and help the advancement of la Société de transport de l'Outaouais's tramway project. We see this project as a vital part of the reimagining of Wellington Street and a crucial step in enhancing interprovincial transit options.
In the longer term, the National Capital Commission hopes that the interprovincial transit loop will be implemented.