Did you know there are currently 44 active infrastructure construction projects underway in Ward 18? For a full list of current and planned works in the ward and across the city, you can visit the Construction and infrastructure projects City webpage.
Roads, Sewer, Water and Wastewater:
The City of Ottawa has completed a functional design study for Alta Vista Drive (Faircrest Road to Edge Hill Place) in advance of the renewal and replacement of the aging underground utilities and road infrastructure and will be commencing detailed design shortly. The start of this project is dependent on the Bank Street project as it is required to first change out the sewer trunk at Alta Vista Drive and Bank Street.
I was able to secure funding for resurfacing the worst sections of Alta Vista Drive (from Bank Street to Randall Avenue) in the 2026 Municipal Budget. It is scheduled for the 2027 construction season, ahead of the future full renewal. A patch job will be undertaken this spring once the weather conditions allow.
For more information on the status of the renewal of Alta Vista Drive, please see my latest article that was published in the April 2026 edition of the VISTAS.
Bank Street Integrated Renewal
Phase 1 of the Bank Street Integrated Renewal (Riverside Drive to Collins Avenue) project is revitalizing the road to create a functioning and safe arterial main street with a well-balanced, multi-modal transportation network which will cater to vehicles, transit, cyclists and pedestrians. At the same time, work is being done to reconstruct the sanitary sewer, storm sewer and to replace the distribution watermains within the project limits.
Phase 1 is expected to be completed this year with Phase 2, Collins Avenue to Ledbury Avenue, beginning shortly afterwards.
As part of the project, Riverside Drive will be closed this spring and summer to accommodate sanitary and storm sewer replacement. Riverside Drive Eastbound (Data Centre Road to Neil Way) will be the first to close, starting mid-May through to mid-summer 2026. Traffic will be detoured to Riverside Drive Westbound, with one lane running in each direction. Following this, Riverside Drive Westbound (Data Centre Road to Neil Way) will be closed until late summer 2026, with bi-directional traffic diverted to Riverside Drive Eastbound.
Road resurfacing and intersection work requiring intermittent closures will occur in fall 2026.
Canterbury / Arch / Plesser Integrated Renewal
The Canterbury Avenue, Arch Street and Plesser Street integrated road, sewer and watermain project is underway to help the immediate neighbourhood alleviate future flooding. Due to the proximity to the sewer, the watermain needed to be replaced and the full road will be reconstructed with new sidewalks, cycle lanes and enhanced traffic calming features.
The majority of roadway, cycling facilities and sidewalks are expected to be reconstructed by the end of 2026, however final asphalt pavement and landscaping works on Arch Street and Plesser Street are expected to carry over into summer 2027.
Keats / Devon / Pullen Integrated Renewal
The City is planning the replacement of the aging watermain and sewers on the following streets:
- Keats Avenue, from Devon Street to Chaucer Avenue
- Devon Street, from Keats Avenue to Shelley Avenue
- Chaucer Avenue, from Browning Avenue to Shelley Avenue
- Orchid Drive, from Shelley Avenue to Keats Avenue
- Browning Avenue, from Devon Street to Chaucer Avenue
- Pullen Street, from Browning Avenue to the dead-end
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2028.
Othello / Smyth / Russell Intersection Realignment
The realignment of the Smyth Road intersection with Russell Road and Othello Avenue was included as part of the Elmvale Acres Secondary Plan. This is a Development Charges (DC) project that was included in the 2025 DC Background Study Update, planned for Council approval later this year. Funding for this project’s functional and detailed design was set aside in the 2026 Budget, which is tentatively planned to begin this year. The expected timeline to complete this project is three to four years.
Ridgemont / Anoka / Edgehill Integrated Renewal
The City of Ottawa will be replacing the ageing infrastructure in the Ridgemont neighbourhood. Full road reconstruction, including curbs and sidewalks, will be required on Anoka Street, Edge Hill Place, Ridgemont Avenue and Erie Avenue within these limits:
- Anoka Street, from Bank Street to Grasmere Crescent
- Edge Hill Place, from Heron Road to Erie Street
- Ridgemont Avenue, from Bank Street to Edge Hill Place
- Erie Avenue, from Edge Hill Place to Grasmere Crescent
Preliminary design work is nearly completed and construction is expected for 2027 or 2028, pending funding approval.
The first public information session for this integrated renewal project will be held on May 27, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Ridgemont High School cafeteria.
Sheffield / Bantree / Edinburgh Watermain Replacement
The design and construction of a new watermain, including the replacement of all existing water services to the property limits, is being planned in the Industrial Park (approximately 1400m in total length) along Sheffield Road, Bantree Street and Edinburgh Place.
- Sheffield Road, from Bantree to Humber Place
- Bantree Street, from Edinburgh to Sheffield
- Edinburgh Place, from Bantree to the dead-end
Design is underway, with construction anticipated to begin in Spring 2027, subject to funding availability.
Summit Avenue Integrated Road Renewal
The City of Ottawa is undertaking the design for the replacement and renewal of the existing watermain, sanitary sewer and road infrastructure on Summit Avenue, between Alta Vista Drive and Fairbanks Avenue. It has reached the end of its useful life and requires replacement to continue to provide the required level of service needed. A sidewalk and traffic calming features will additionally be added during this time.
Construction will begin in Spring 2026 and is expected to be completed in Summer 2027.
Tremblay Multi-Use Environmental Assessment Study
City Staff began an Environmental Assessment (EA) Study for a Multi-Use Connection between Terminal Avenue (Trainyards) and the Tremblay LRT Station; however, the study was suspended in October 2024 due to VIA Rail’s plan to develop their site. Unfortunately, VIA Rail’s plans are not yet known, and it was determined to be impractical to continue with the study until more details are available.
To provide an improved connection in the interim, the EA study has identified an opportunity to provide a new multi-use pathway (MUP) along the east side of Riverside Drive to improve connectivity between an existing MUP along Tremblay Road and Terminal Avenue. Preliminary and detailed design is expected to begin this year (2026), with construction to follow as early as 2027, subject to land acquisition and available budget.
Valley Drive Trunk Rehabilitation
The Valley Drive storm trunk is in poor condition, undersized, and at the end of its life cycle. The overall objective is to replace the storm trunk along Saunderson Drive from Pleasant Park Road, northward to the dead end at Halstead Street. Hydraulic capacity will be increased to help alleviate residential basement flooding along the project limits.
The project is currently in Phase 3 (its final phase). Geotechnical and subsurface utility investigations began in Fall 2025 and full construction is anticipated to start in 2027, pending funding availability.
Sewer Renewal Projects:
Sewer pipe repairs include limited replacements of sewer by traditional open cut methods. These excavations are limited to only what is required to install the specific sections of sewer that require repair. Where disturbed, the surface works would be reinstated back to existing condition.
- Knox Crescent and Acton Street (three segments)
- Vincent Street (south-east corner)
- Utah Street (3 segments)
- From Livingstone Avenue to Cheverton Avenue
- From Cheverton Avenue to 40m north of Cheverton Avenue
- From Essex Street to Kilborn Avenue
- Corner of Micmac Street and McQuaig Street
- 1859-1881 Louisiana Avenue and 1869-1891 Illinois Avenue
Resurfacing Projects:
2026 Projects:
- Ayers Avenue, from CLOSURE to Alta Vista Drive – mid-July 2026
- Canterbury Avenue, from Kilborn Avenue to Harding Road – July 2026
- Dunelm Street, from Elsett Drive to Valley Drive – early September 2026
- Elsett Drive, from the West Dead End to Dunelm Street – end of August 2026
- Neil Way, from Riverside Drive to Chalmers Road – end of September 2026
- Riverside Station (Southbound and Northbound) from Riverside Station Entrance (380 metres north of Pleasant Park overpass) to Riverside Station North Exit (590 metres north of Pleasant Park overpass) – mid-June 2026
- Smyth Station (Southbound and Northbound) from 80 metres south of the Frobisher Lane overpass to Smyth Station South Entrance – early June 2026
- Siblings Place, from Walkley Road to CLOSURE – early July 2026
- Walkley Road, from Bank Street to 100m west of Heron Road – mid-June 2026
Future Projects:
- Alta Vista Drive, from Bank Street to Randall Avenue – targeted start date in 2027
- Bourassa Street, from St-Laurent Boulevard to Gladwin Crescent – targeted start in 2027 or 2028
- Delmar Drive, from Kilborn Avenue to Pleasant Park Road – targeted start in 2027 or 2028
- Gladwin Crescent, from Lancaster Road to END – targeted start in 2027 or 2028
- Heron Road, from Baycrest Drive to Walkley Road – targeted start in 2028 or 2029
- Industrial Avenue, from Russell Road to St-Laurent Boulevard – targeted start in 2027 or 2028
- Logan Avenue, from Roger Road to Balmoral Place – on hold, watermain renewal needs identified
- Michael street, between Kenaston Street and Newmarket Street – targeted start in 2027 or 2028
- Oxbow Avenue, from Pleasant Park Road to DEAD END – On hold, watermain renewal needs identified
- Roger Road, from Alta Vista Drive to Highland Terrace – On hold, watermain renewal needs identified
- Russell Road, from Industrial Avenue to Smyth Road – targeted start in 2027 or 2028
- Windmill Lane, from Innes Road to DEAD END – targeted start in 2027 or 2028
Transportation Master Plan:
On July 23, 2025, the Transportation Master Plan’s Capital Infrastructure Plan was approved, as amended by City Council. The Plan identifies the transit, road, and active transportation investments that are required to support Ottawa’s growth and achieve the City’s objectives.
St-Laurent Boulevard Transit Priority Corridor – Planning Underway
An Environmental Assessment (EA) Study for the St-Laurent Boulevard Transit Priority Corridor has been conducted from Hemlock Road to Innes Road / Industrial Avenue. The EA study has led to the development of a Preliminary Recommended Plan that will improve the road for all users.
Due to the length of the corridor, this project has been broken into five segments. The segment that will directly impact Ward 18 is Segment 5: South of Tremblay Road to Innes Road and Industrial Avenue. Based on the Preliminary Recommended Plan, the preferred design for this segment would include pedestrian and cycling facilities, bus stop and streetscaping. Bus only lanes are also planned, which will require widening of the road.
For more information on this project, you can visit the project webpage or view the June 2025 Open House Display Board.
Active Transportation Projects:
In April 2023, Ottawa City Council approved the Transportation Master Plan’s Active Transportation Project List. The projects are intended to address critical missing links in the City’s active transportation networks.
This section identifies which projects have been identified as a priority and are intended to be delivered within the first phase of implementation (expected to be completed over the next 7 years); however, these timelines are subject to change and are dependent on future funding levels.
Cycling Projects:
Alta Vista (East-West) Route – MUP segments forming an east-west route within the ward
Alta Vista (North-South) Route – MUP segments along the north-south Alta Vista Western Pathway corridor
Elmvale-Canterbury Neighbourhood Bikeway – Minor improvements to the north-south route between Kilborn Avenue and Coronation Avenue
Tremblay Road to Terminal Avenue – Multi-use pathway from Tremblay Road, along the east side of Riverside Drive, ascending to Terminal Avenue
Pedestrian Projects:
Belfast Road Sidewalk – New sidewalk segments are to be constructed east of the intersection between 805 Belfast Road and St-Laurent Boulevard. Construction expected Summer 2026.
(Please note, the sidewalk segment immediately in front of the OC Transpo facility at Belfast Road and St-Laurent Boulevard was descoped due to conflicts with the electric bus project. Depending on the status of the OC Transpo ZEB project, it may be added back in the future.)
Blossom Drive Sidewalk – A new sidewalk will be instated along Blossom Drive from Kilborn Avenue to Begonia Avenue. It will continue along Begonia Avenue to the Applewood Park Pathway.
Dakota Avenue Sidewalk – Sidewalk along Dakota Avenue from Halifax Drive to Foley Avenue
Hawthorne Park Sidewalks – Sidewalk along Tupper Ave from Russell Road to Joliffe Street, with a pathway connection to St. Luke’s School. An additional sidewalk is planned along Joliffe Street and Melfort Street from Tawney Road to Walkley Road
Sidewalk Renewal Projects:
- Cedarwood Drive, from Baycrest Drive to Walkley Road – planned for 2027 or 2028
- Tremblay Road, from Avenue S to Avenue T – planned for 2026
- Dorion Avenue, from Knox Crescent to Neighbourhood Way – planned for 2026
- Joliffe Street, from St-Laurent Boulevard to Tawney Road to Dwight Crescent (ending at St Luke School) – planned for 2027 or 2028
- Walkley Road Sidewalk (North Side) – Two segments planned for 2026
- Between 80m east of Baycrest Drive and Heatherington Road
- Between Colliston Crescent and Cedarwood Drive
- Pathway renewal on Tremblay Road, from Belfast to Avenue U – planned for 2026
Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety Projects:
Belfast Road and Trainyards Drive Intersection Improvements
Construction will start later this month on improvements at the intersection of Belfast Road and Trainyards Drive. The project will include a crossride on the south leg of the intersection to improve the safety of cyclists travelling between the multi-use pathways along both Belfast Road and Trainyards Drive. It also includes adding missing segments of sidewalk on the north side of Belfast Road between Trainyards Drive and St-Laurent Boulevard. Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2026.
Cavendish Road
As part of the 2026 Temporary Traffic Calming Program and based on resident feedback, two speed humps will be installed on Cavendish Road between Rachael Avenue and Portal Avenueas seen on the map below. These speed humps will replace the seasonal flex stake and delineator installation. Work is expected to take place in late summer or early fall.
Halifax Drive
Over the spring of 2025, an online survey was conducted to gather feedback about the Halifax Drive Traffic Calming Plan. The final traffic calming plan for Halifax Drive (Canterbury Avenue / Saunderson Drive to Walkley Road)includes 3 speed cushions, a cycling lane on the north side of Halifax Drive and edge lines on the south side of Halifax Drive. On-street parking will remain. The next step in the process is to undertake the preliminary and detail design (which typically requires 1 year) with the construction typically following the year after.
Parks and Recreation:
Alda Burt Park (1816 St-Laurent Boulevard)
A basketball court is being added to Alda Burt Park to expand the park’s recreational uses. The project will also involve construction of an accessible pathway to the sidewalk on St-Laurent Boulevard. The pathway would be routed near to the play area to increase accessibility to the existing play area. Renewal of the play structures is not within the scope of this project. Construction is slated to begin in Spring 2026.
Public consultation was held on Engage Ottawa and project decisions are being finalized using the feedback collected from residents. Future updates will be available through the Engage Ottawa project page.
Cecil Morrison Park Field House (1332 Avenue O)
The Field House at Cecil Morrison Park will undergo upgrades this summer. Work will consist of plumbing improvements and a bathroom upgrade (replacing water closet and washroom sinks).
Sandalwood Park (2850 Sandalwood Drive)
Sandalwood Park is getting a makeover. The following amenities and equipment are being added and/or upgraded:
- Play area (will be upgraded and all play structures including slide and sand box will be replaced)
- Swing set (will be replaced and relocated to the play area)
- Splash pad (to be added)
- Pathway lights (to be added)
Work is underway, with completion expected by the end of September.
Hawthorne Park (2139 Tawney Road)
The swings at Hawthorne Park are slated for replacement in 2028 with the design to begin in 2027.
Andrea Thompson Park (2350 Russell Road)
A splashpad is currently in the works for Andrea Thompson Park (formerly Confederation Park).
An Engage Ottawa webpage is currently live for residents to view the two proposed concept plans. A survey is also open until May 25, 2026, for residents to share their preferred option and to add any additional comments.
Riverview Park (256 Knox Crescent)
The City is refurbishing the play structure at Riverview Park, as the current slide and swings are old and need to be replaced. This renewal will also allow for the park’s accessible amenities to be brought back up to standard.
Through public consultation on Engage Ottawa, Concept B is highlighted as the preferred design by residents. Staff are currently reviewing the comments from the public consultation and will be proceeding with the detailed design following the approval of the concept design.
The Ottawa Hospital and Schlegel Villages Fitness Parkette (1967 Riverside Drive)
The MUP pathway through the park has been completed. The balance of remaining works will be to install exercise stations along park and general landscaping improvements. Design work and public consultation are anticipated in early 2026, with the installation of exercise stations along the park and general landscaping in Spring 2027, following the construction of the long-term care homes on the site.
Community Facilities and Libraries:
Canterbury Recreation Complex (2185 Arch Street)
The pool is currently closed to allow for a retiling of the pool and pool deck (including the changing rooms). Unfortunately, due to issues discovered during construction, the project schedule needed to be extended, which will impact summer programming.
To compensate for this, the City is increasing aquatic programming at St-Laurent Complex and Genest Outdoor Pool. The relocation of aquatic programming will continue until the rehabilitation project is completed.
The Community Centre, Brian Kilrea Arena and the Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink are not affected during this project. The Canterbury Complex Wading Pool schedule will also be modified this summer to open seven days a week (opening on June 29).
Heron Road Community Centre (1480 Heron Road)
The Ray Heron MSC Theatre will be closed due to the decommissioning of old fan coils and installation of a new rooftop air handling unit. Work is anticipated to begin in April 2026, with substantial completion expected in June 2026.
Jim Durrell Recreation Centre (1265 Walkley Road)
The parking lot and laneway are set to be rehabilitated, with construction starting in July. All concrete curbs and site lighting will be replaced at this time.
The project also includes the removal of all interlocking stone pathways, which will be substituted with either concrete or asphalt to ensure a uniform and durable walking surface. Accessible seating will additionally be installed at the main entrance.
The site will remain functional to the community throughout the construction period.
The accessible viewing platform in both rinks, as well as interior accessible routes, are also currently undergoing detailed design for upgrades.
Alta Vista Library (2516 Alta Vista Drive)
The existing curtainwall system is set to be replaced with new, aluminum framed thermally broken curtainwall. Associated repairs will be performed during this time. Work has commenced and will be completed by June 19, 2026.
Dr. Ernest Couture Child Care Centre (2185 Riverside Drive)
The playground at Dr. Ernest Couture Child Care Centre is getting an upgrade, with new landscaping and paths. Please note, this is overall a like-for-like project.
Construction is expected to begin June 1 and is anticipated to be completed by the end of July. The daycare will remain open and will have an alternate playground during construction.