Chaudière Falls

Client

Portage Power

Location

Chaudière Island, Ottawa

Completion

2018

Still in operation today, Chaudière Falls is home to Canada’s oldest hydroelectric station, which powered the region’s industrial age, including the numerous lumber mills that historically bordered the Ottawa River. Constructed entirely below grade, the new state-of-the-art, publicly accessible facility is designed to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the site while providing clean, renewable hydroelectricity to over 20,000 homes. Prior to becoming a power station, Chaudière Falls was a highly sacred, ceremonial space revered by local First Nations. A key objective of the project was to fully reveal the Falls to the public for the first time in over 100 years, celebrating Canada’s First Nations heritage and Ottawa’s industrial past.

The site design addresses dam safety requirements, while also enhancing the visitor experience through the new and old hydroelectric facilities, all the way to the edge of the historic Chaudière Falls. The design incorporates elements of the site’s significant industrial past and key components that reflect First Nations values and history. The concept for the park includes a central gathering space, offering platform, medicinal plants, and a meditation area. Reflective of the changing seasons, the all-native plant palette references the cardinal points and their symbolic importance to local First Nations groups.

The park is constructed using natural materials, native plants, and recycled stone and artifacts from the old facility. Industrial-themed sculptures lead visitors to the centre of the park, bridging the gap between the highly functional aspects of the hydro dam, and the restorative, naturalized landscape of Chaudière Falls Park.