New look for Ottawa's old train station approved by NCC

The architecture of Ottawa's former train station has been hiding from the publicbehind the doors of a government conference centre for decades.

But the buildingthat housed the city's central train station at Rideau Street and Colonel By Drive until the1960sis undergoing multi-million dollarrenovations and restoration work.

And, when it reopens in two years, it will once again welcome residents and visitors.

"You'll finally be able to appreciate the building in all its glory," saidThierryMontpetit, project manager with Public Services and Procurement Canada.

"We're going to remove, what I'm going to say(were) unfortunate alterations to the building that were done in the late seventies."

On Tuesday, the National Capital Commission's boardsaw renderings of what the former train stationwill look like, both inside and out, and gave its final approval on the design.

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The renovation of the building is happening in preparation for the arrival of the Senate. The Senatemust vacate its chamber in Parliament Hill's Centre Block, which will itself be going through restoration inside and out for a decadestarting in 2018.

So, by September of that year, the senators and their red seats will move towhat was once Union Station'sconcourse.

The renovation and Senatemoveis estimated to cost $269milllion, andPublic Services and Procurement Canadasaid Tuesday it's on budget.

Heritage features to be uncovered

Montpetitsaid the goal is to fixaccessibility problems and meet building code,while bringing to the fore the building's heritage features.

The great waiting room, for instance,is a smaller-scaledreplica of the PennsylvaniaStation in New York City that was demolished in the 1960s, hesaid.

The plan is for the Library of Parliament to host tours of the building, starting at the main entrance across from the Chteau Laurier hotel.

"We're all aware that this is a very, very special building for the people inOttawa," said Montpetit."A lot of people have seen loved ones arrive by train."

From bare wall to prominent east faade

Some additions to the building areentirely functional. The building will get new freight and passengerelevators, a loading dock, and rooftop areas for mechanical systems.

Thought has also been given to how the building can return to being a conference centre after the Senate's decade-long tenancy.

But the impact of the project lies on theeast side of the building that faces the Rideau Centre, said Montpetit.

That bare easternwall was wherethetrain station once attached to a hotel in the former Corry Block.

With the renovations, a lot of thought was given to how thateastfaadecould turn the building into a gatewayto Parliament, to join"the town and the Crown,"said Montpetit.

"I think that will be our biggest gift, to really give prominence to that intersection," he said, "And, giving some stature back to that building, which was very prominent historically and has been a bit forgotten and lost since the 1960s and '70s."