A big sign of progress in our quest to get more benches for the park has popped up! The city has a survey out for public feedback on a couple of choices, see https://engage.ottawa.ca/champlain-park-seating et en français, c’est https://participons.ottawa.ca/parc-champlain-sieges. Send in your comments by April 17th. Thanks to our councillor Jeff Leiper and the city staff for helping with this project.

I’ll reproduce the designs here, so you can see it at a glance now, and for future reference once the city’s web site has moved on.

Briefly, concept A has the sitting down spot closer to the field / rink, with a curvy bench and one lounge chair, concept B has it close to the field house and with three lounge chairs and a fourth wider lounge chair. Both have a gravel path to the field house. Both avoid interfering with the rink or the ski trail loop.

The other part is a picnic area, just east of the swings. Concept A has it slightly closer (moved south a couple of metres) to the wading pool, removing a pool corner fence and bike rack but being closer to the street light. Concept B keeps the fence and bike rack.

Things to contemplate: the fence kind of separates the pool kids from the rest of the park (is that important?), that bike rack is never used, seats closer to the pool let you keep an eye on the kids, but there are plenty of other benches around the pool.

20260327 Champlain Park New Seating and Picnic Area – Concept A.pdf

20260327 Champlain Park New Seating and Picnic Area – Concept B.pdf

So, what’s the next Big Idea? We (your neighbours running the community association) can assist with the funding and bureaucratic processes, but need your help in coming up with ideas. We’re having an info meeting and brainstorming session at our Bright Ideas event on Tuesday evening April 28 at the field house.