Page 21 - Travel Guide to Canada 2019

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BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
The National Arts Centre has a grand new
glass entrance, off ering superb views of
Confederation Square and Parliament Hill
(www.nac-cna.ca).
On the other side of the Rideau Canal,
the airy new home of the Ottawa Art Gallery

(www.oaggao.ca ) has won acclaim for its
architecture, its collection of works by local
artists and its light-fi lled café.
A sleek building at 50 Sussex Drive, over-
looking Rideau Falls, has been transformed
into the Royal Canadian Geographical
Society’s new Centre for Geography and
Exploration (www.rcgs.org/50sussex ).
There, visitors can see free exhibitions on
topics such as Arctic research.
On top of these changes, the single
largest infrastructure project in Ottawa’s LE CAFÉ, NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE • DESTINATION CANADA
history is due to open late this year: the
fi rst phase of a new light rail transit (LRT) heritage former train station across the street. access to concerts, hockey games and other
route, which will stretch 12.5 km (7.8 mi.) The latter was formerly closed to the general events at the nearby Canadian Tire Centre.
from west to east (www.octranspo.com ). public for many years, so the chance to peek Hotel construction doesn’t appear to be
When it is up and running, visitors and behind its grand columns is a nice side slowing down anytime soon. In the ByWard
locals alike will be able to travel by train to benefi t of the Parliament Hill restoration. Market area alone, a new Holiday Inn
popular local attractions such as the Express (www.ihg.com ) is slated to open at
Canadian War Museum, CF Rideau Centre A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP King Edward Avenue and St. Patrick Street
and Parliament Hill. By mid-year, Ottawa’s inventory of hotel in August, and developers have proposed to
Ah, yes, Parliament Hill. Ottawa’s best- rooms is expected to jump by about 10 build a new Hampton Inn by Hilton and to
known site will be changing signifi cantly, percent from 2017 levels, an increase of expand the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market
and it will be open to visitors in a whole about 1,000 rooms. That means visitors now hotel (www.hyatt.com ).

new way. have an even wider range of places to stay.
Attached to the new Ottawa Art Gallery, ARRIVE IN STYLE
NEW ON THE HILL Ottawa’s fi rst Le Germain Hotel (www.leger Ottawa International Airport (www.yow.ca) is

At the beginning of the year, the Centre Block mainhotels.com/en/ottawa) opened last June. in the midst of a renovation and expansion
on Parliament Hill—home to the House of That same year, the Hilton Garden Inn and project that will include new restaurants and
Commons and the Senate—closed for what Homewood Suites by Hilton (www.hilton. shops, a relocated security screening area
is expected to be a decade of extensive com ) opened downtown, off the Sparks Street and a hotel. Plans are also in the works to
renovations. Of course, Canada’s govern- Mall, and a second Homewood Suites by extend the LRT system to the airport by 2023.
ment hasn’t shut down. Parliamentarians Hilton opened near the Ottawa International
have simply moved to temporary digs. Airport. In west-end Kanata, Canada’s fi rst DINING, SHOPPING
-
Via a new visitors’ centre (visit.parl.ca), GLo hotel opened last November, part of a AND SPORTS
people can tour the House of Commons in new boutique brand from Best Western The historic ByWard Market area, in the
the West Block on the Hill and the Senate in a (glo.bestwestern.com). It off ers guests easy shadow of Parliament Hill, is one of the