By Deb Paterson
When will the wider Lowertown and Ottawa community again be able to use this neighbourhood facility? And will the City provide funding for needed renovations in the kitchen and other areas before it can be made available? There are lots of questions about the next phase of our only publicly programmed municipal space in Lowertown.
For many years now, the Routhier Community Centre has been both neglected and under-utilized as a vibrant community centre. When the pandemic ends, people more than ever will need positive places to congregate and to find ways to enhance both physical and mental health. Vibrant 15-minute neighbourhoods require an open and accessible place for individuals, families, and children to come together to enjoy a sense of community and well-being. The Routhier Centre is poised to fill this role.
In the long run, this old school building requires a dramatic overhaul inside and out. Just a few of the possibilities for the outside spaces are outlined here. The exterior along the Guigues streetscape does not identify the place as a welcoming and open hub for the community. The recessed grassy space between the door and gym for instance offers the opportunity to design a new accessible front door with a large glassed reception area and outdoor patio space. Better signage on the Cumberland side of the building would let folks know that this is a vibrant place where things happen. There could be an array of colorful art work on and around the building. The building grounds need to be safe and secure for bikes and night-time classes. If the under-used parking section closest to Raphael Brunet Park were lifted, space for an enlarged park or a community garden could be freed up.
In order to make the interior more user friendly, a number of changes could be made to modernize and enhance the visitor experience. The entire inside space itself could be better designed for meetings, public gatherings and other services for residents of Lowertown and the wider city. The gymnasium is a wonderful asset and could be put to much better use on a daily basis. An enlarged and modernized full kitchen would provide for many program opportunities, including the possibility of a brunch/lunch counter operated by folks with various abilities and mental health challenges.
In the short term, the introduction of an array of stimulating and interesting programs could involve and activate the community. A quick survey of neighbours in the area offered several perspectives.
The wish list of ideas for programming included:
- fitness classes for all levels, including rehab, workout wellness/ yoga/tai chi;
- a running club;
- bike repair classes;
- weight room with fitness machines;
- dance classes (jazz, Spanish, hip-hop, belly dancing);
- music classes including Indigenous drumming circles;
- pickle ball and dodgeball; activities for children and youth with varied sports and the inclusion of summer, after-school and break-week camps;
- pre-school/childcare programming;
- mother-baby activities and pre-natal wellness.
Other ideas included general interest classes such as bridge and chess lessons; Tarot card reading; dog and owner etiquette training; open space for art practice or even open life drawing sessions. The suggestions were endless.
The lack of promotion of the Routhier Community Centre as a vital downtown hub was raised more than once. The centre’s proximity to the city’s many bike trails and OC Transpo routes could be highlighted. Its location in an area that hosts much of Ottawa’s vital tourism sector could perhaps see something offered to the tourists who stay in nearby hotels to visit attractions such as the National Gallery, Mint, ByWard Market and Rideau Centre to name a few. Other suggestions included the provision of space for a neighbourhood police office or a volunteer coordination office to connect people with the many volunteer opportunities in this part of the city.
But most important, the Routhier Community Centre could have a very positive future as a hub of activity for all age groups in the Lowertown area. This building is the only City-managed centre located where our community can easily access programs. The City of Ottawa is currently providing an online opportunity through engage.ottawa.ca for residents to participate on plans related to infrastructure asset management and recreational facilities, both relevant to the future of the Routhier Centre. Let us connect as residents to ensure that our Routhier is the site of some of the best and most exciting activities in the city.