Last year, instead of figuring out a way to fund some much needed renovations for the only info centre in Ottawa, the NCC decided to close its doors and relocate it inside the World Exchange Plaza. So now instead of crossing the street from the Parliament (Ottawa's main international landmark) to find out more about what the city has to offer, tourists will have to find an old 1970's style booth, tucked away in a low traffic business mall.
This is now the first impression Ottawa is giving its tourists:
Welcome-to-our-old-uninspiring-city-there's-not-much-to-see-or-do-and-our-idea-of-cutting-edge-technology-is-a-desktop.
Instead of an fun and engaging 3-D circular map, you get pamphlets and one computer.
Yes, the previous info centre needed some serious renovations, but still it was a lot better. The 3-D map, was a great concept and the location could not have been more perfect. According to the NCC the renovations in Ottawa would have cost $5,000,000 and that was too much for them. (I'm curious : How much did the Horizon 2067 Campaign cost so far?). What exactly were they planning to do with $5 million? Why didn't they reduce their renovation budget? Why couldn't they renovate it in phases?
NYC did it for about 1/3 of the NCC's budget!
Meanwhile in New York city, the leaders city didn't back away from a renovation and had the common sense to hire professionals to redesign and renovate their information centre. This info centre in NYC only cost $1,800,000. I doubt the NCC was planning something as avant-garde as this for $5,000,000. How come a similar renovation would cost almost 3 times more in Ottawa?
This is the first impression New York is giving its tourists:
Welcome-to-a-fun-and-attractive-vibrant-city-with-lots-to-do-and-discover-at-the-cutting-edge-of-technology.
The design firm, WXY Studio, did an excellent job. You can find out more about their concept here.
I really don't understand why it's so difficult for the NCC to fulfill its main goal, which is "to ensure that Canada’s Capital Region is a source of national pride and significance." Is that what the NCC is really doing? It seems like they're working in the opposite direction of their own goals. I don't understand why this is accepted. I really wish there were more people that cared a little more about this city to actively contribute to its growth and evolution and let it live up to its potential. And there's so much untapped potential in this city.
It is clear to me that the current governemnt, hence it agencies, have an active disdain for Ottawa. So this comes as no surprise.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I wished the NCC stayed in their old spot, this could be a good thing. The NCC is becoming less visable in the capital.
ReplyDeleteThe old NCC InfoCentre will probably sit vacant for a decade like other buildings on Wellington and eventually they'll probably move back in.
It is because people in the franco-supremist bureaucracy of the NCC and other Ottawa Stalinist departments are not hired according to ability or ideas. They are hired according to their first language, connections and French-ness. Touch screens are the standard interface in 2012 - that NCC PC in the photo is laughable.
ReplyDeleteUgh. How embarrassing! I thought Ottawa was supposed to be a world class city? This kind of thing might save money in the short term, but long term? It does more harm than good.
ReplyDeleteIs there anything a taxpayer can do to help fix this?
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