On Thursday afternoon, in the heart of diversity-rich Vanier, the community came together to launch the reimagined Hub — a vibrant outdoor space coming to life in what was once a parking lot. They celebrated — cotton candy and all — on National Child Day, no less. Read MoreGary Dimmock explains how Carleton University’s Architecture Action Lab worked tirelessly on giving the site new life.
Gary Dimmock explains how Carleton University’s Architecture Action Lab worked tirelessly on giving the site new life.
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On Thursday afternoon, in the heart of diversity-rich Vanier, the community came together to launch the reimagined Hub — a vibrant outdoor space coming to life in what was once a parking lot. They celebrated — cotton candy and all — on National Child Day, no less.
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Carleton University’s Architecture Action Lab, created and led by Prof. Menna Agha, has been working tirelessly on the Vanier Hub’s new life.
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In fact, they were applying the finishing touches just minutes before the launch of Vanier’s latest gem. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe attended the reopening and called the Hub an incredible milestone for the community, built as a labour of love.
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The Evening Citizen
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So why Vanier?
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Well, why not Vanier?
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But, as Agha says, there’s also a reason it’s in the east-end neighbourhood.
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“Vanier has been stigmatized unfairly,” Agha said.
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So about that tired, outdated stigma. There are too many Vanier jokes — online and off — to count. But word of mouth and the internet sometimes means truth becomes a casualty.
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When Agha moved to Ottawa, the first thing someone told her was not to live in Vanier.
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Why is Vanier so extraordinary?
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“It’s a very special neighbourhood. This is a neighbourhood that has so much history and diversity,” Agha said.
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Vanier, sometimes called Little Nunavut, has one of the largest Inuit populations outside Canada’s North. It has a big Indigenous and Black Francophone community and is home to many low-income and marginalized folks.
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“It’s such a special demographic within Ottawa,” Agha said. “Every neighbourhood is special, but Vanier is special, so well deserving by merit of its amazing diversity and the injustice of its story and how it’s written and remembered in the consciousness of Ottawa history.”
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It took a community to build
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The Architecture Action Lab didn’t do the Hub on their own. They had real consultation for more than a year, met with all stakeholders and involved the residents, neighbours and businesses. They went through many designs and refined the vision after receiving community feedback.
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Several Ottawa businesses gave the Hub team big discounts on materials, and the Vanier BIA and Vanier Community Service Centre offered the parking lot for the revamped space.
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“We partnered with amazing people who love Vanier and have their heart in their hands for the community,” Agha said.