Once a neglected ruin, the revitalization of the former Hintonburg Pumphouse and its surrounding area has transformed the historical site into a usable public recreation space with a unique view of Ottawa’s waterfront.
The polished and tidy public space opened to the public on Oct. 2 is a far cry from how the structure stood for nearly four decades. Since it was nearly razed by a fire in May 1987, the Hintonburg Pumping House was long left alone to brave the elements on the road to Lemieux Island. Until now, the site was little more than a graffitied pile of rubble behind a fence lined with barbed wire. It was an unwelcoming look for a landmark that once stood as an essential piece of history, playing a part in Hintonburg’s annexation into the nation’s capital city.
But starting in November 2023, the City of Ottawa finally decided to begin a project to refurbish the site.
“You used to come by here and see something that was falling apart and that had been neglected for 30 years,” Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said. “And now you’re coming by here and seeing something that’s been taken care of and invested in and been improved.”
“Now it’s this beautiful public space that everybody can use.”
Reviving public access to the space also provides a new opportunity for locals to learn about a key part of Ottawa’s past.
“It also emphasizes our cultural history,” said City Councillor and Built Heritage Committee Chair Rawlson King. “It’s important that we preserve that because without knowing our past, we really can’t effectively, by estimation, build a real future.”
But the revitalization of the former pumphouse could never have happened without a real injection of funds from City Council. Since November 2023, the city has invested $2.2 million in stabilizing the ruins, transforming the site into an accessible public space.
“I think it’s a great investment in the community and in public space, in recreation,” Sutcliffe said.
But creating public recreation space doesn’t pay the same obvious dividends as a neighbourhood redevelopment like in Tunney’s Pasture or the extension of the O-Train line. So, what makes an investment like this worthwhile for the city?
“We’re going to have way more people living in the downtown core, ideally,” King said. “And if that’s the case, we will need green spaces.”
According to Councillor Jeff Leiper, the addition of accessible public and historical spaces like this in his Kitchissippi ward makes sense, especially in the context of a rapidly growing neighbourhood. One clear example of this trend is in Tunney’s Pasture, which is aiming to welcome 7,000 to 9,000 residential units as the federal campus transforms into an urbanized neighbourhood, according to the city’s recent plans.
“The neighbourhoods are intensifying, and public spaces are critical, essentially as those new neighbours’ backyards,” Leiper said. “Apartment dwellers don’t have a backyard.”
Leiper – who’s eyeing a campaign for mayor next fall – said he thinks the city should do more in the way of providing public spaces like the Hintonburg Pumphouse.
“The public realm becomes more and more important in an intensifying city,” Leiper said. “Investing in spaces like these is critical.
“I don’t think we do it enough.”
The Hintonburg Pumphouse’s grand reopening marks the start of a recreation space that will be freely available to locals and visitors for years to come. That’s not to mention its unique waterfront location that lends the space a clear view of both the William Commanda Bridge and Parliament Hill.
“I just think it really opens up the space to the public,” King said. “So, something that had many decades of being derelict is brought back to life.”
