Three contractors have been shortlisted in a competition to build the $192.9-million Ottawa Public Library – Library and Archives Canada Joint Facility on LeBreton Flats.
EllisDon, PCL and Pomerleau will submit proposals for initial shoring, excavation and site remediation work that’s expected to commence this fall.
The $192.9-million project will house the main branch of the Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada.
Ottawa’s KWC Architects and Toronto-based Diamond-Schmitt Architects are the lead architects on the project, which is expected to be completed in 2024.
The planned designs feature wave-like layers as well as accents of limestone and wood. The building will be topped with a green roof and will include other features geared towards making the facility as sustainable as possible.
The project, when completed, will include:
- A main entrance and a five-story Atrium Town Square shared with access to both OPL and LAC spaces, and meeting spaces, featuring both a ground floor and fifth floor café a gift shop;
- public forum and meeting spaces of large multi-purpose spaces, including a black box theatre for programming and community events for both OPL and LAC;
- an exhibition gallery of museum quality spaces featuring exhibitions of rare and unique LAC collections, travelling exhibitions, and OPL and Ottawa community exhibitions;
- a dedicated indigenous space and round room with the ability to perform traditional smudging ceremonies; and
- a genealogy centre with one-of-a-kind research space offering OPL and LAC services and collections.
The development itself will be 34 per cent larger in size than the OPL’s existing main branch at Laurier Avenue and Metcalfe Street. It will include amenities such as a ground-floor cafe and rooftop restaurant, a makerspace, recording studio and 60 meeting rooms – up from three at the current central branch.
The city will be releasing the tender for the main project construction to the three contractors in early 2021, with building slated to follow that summer.
