How will people get to the new campus?

Feb 8, 2022

Whether you’re a patient driving for over an hour for specialized care, a respiratory therapist coming in for a shift that will end late in the evening, or a student taking the LRT for clinical studies, getting to The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus needs to be easy and accessible.

Thousands of people will come to the new hospital every day for care, to visit their loved ones, and to work or learn. This means that ensuring that the entire new campus site is accessible needs to be a core part of the planning process.

“From the outset, accessibility has been at the forefront of design and development decisions. This is a commitment I bring to the project team, and one that the TOH has made to the community at large,” said Marnie Peters, the project’s accessibility advisor. Marnie reviews all site plan drawings and works closely with the entire team to ensure that the site meets the needs of people of all ages and all abilities.

The design team has continually refined the design of the site plan to address accessibility issues. The site plan, including the parking garage, which will be built first, is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and incorporates many universal accessibility best practices.

Coming to the hospital by transit

Many people coming to the new hospital will use transit – an option particularly helpful for staff members, students, volunteers and visitors. The site will include a direct link between the nearby LRT station and the hospital’s main entrance, making it one of the most transit-oriented hospitals in Canada.

Once the hospital is open, transit-users will be able to take a covered, level, climate-controlled walkway through the rooftop park, parking garage and retail areas to the main hospital. This is a total distance of 400 m from the proposed LRT link on the south side of Carling Ave to the main hospital entrance.

ParaTranspo users will be dropped off at a dedicated location at the hospital’s main entrance.

In addition, the team is committed to working with the City of Ottawa to incorporate on-site bus routes.

Coming to the hospital by bicycle

Cyclists will have safe and protected cycling facilities on the site that are separated from pedestrian paths, increasing safety for all users. These paths will link with nearby major cycle paths like the Trillium Multiuse Pathway.

During construction of the parking garage, beginning in 2022, the Trillium Multiuse Pathway will be redirected both east and west around the site so that cyclists can continue to easily and safely pass through the site.

Coming to the hospital by car

While more and more people will be able to use transit to come to TOH in the coming years, people will continue to drive to the hospital for many reasons. The onsite parking garage will be supplemented by short-term and emergency parking closer to the main entrance.

Ambulances and other emergency vehicles will use a separate route that goes directly to the Emergency Department. Trucks and other heavy vehicles will also have a dedicated route that takes them to the receiving area south of the facility. These separate routes will keep large vehicles away from main pedestrian and cycling routes, improving the overall safety of the site.