By: Barre Campbell
OTTAWA – The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) today announced comprehensive details for event goers to travel to and from the new TD Place at Lansdowne for major events, such as Ottawa REDBLACKS football games. The transportation plans were developed in collaboration with the City of Ottawa, OC Transpo, le Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) and SP + GAMEDAY, an internationally acclaimed event transportation management and logistics firm.
“Our objective is to make it easy for our fans and visitors to attend major events at TD Place while also minimizing vehicular traffic in neighborhoods near Lansdowne,” said OSEG CEO Bernie Ashe. “Towards that end, this plan provides ticketholders with free park and shuttle services from multiple locations in Ottawa and Gatineau, free bus transit on all routes and secure on-site parking for bicycles. It’s a plan that encourages visitors to leave their cars at home and have a stress-free, door-to-door experience.”
“This plan was developed to meet the requirements set out by City Council and address the concerns of area residents and businesses that were closely involved in the planning,” said Councillor David Chernushenko, whose Capital Ward includes the Glebe and Old Ottawa South. “I think all parties involved in the process showed great cooperation and now we’re working together to let all the ticketholders and fans know that they have plenty of options that don’t involve driving when coming to an event at Lansdowne. This is a plan that works for event goers and residents. “
Under the transportation plan, tickets to events at TD Place are also a ticket to ride for free on OC Transpo or STO to and from the venue. For major events with crowds of 15,000 or more, OC Transpo will offer direct Park and Shuttle service from Park &; Ride lots located in Kanata, Barrhaven, Greenboro (South Keys) and Orleans, while STO will offer shuttles from Rivermead, St-Dominique/Tache, Labrosse, De la Gappe and Robert-Guertin. The OC Transpo and STO service will start three hours before events at TD Place and continue for approximately three hours after their conclusion.
“I’m delighted by the collaborative effort that led to the development of this plan and the important role OC Transpo and STO are playing in getting people to Lansdowne,” said John Manconi, General Manager of Transit Services. “The enhanced transit services being offered are a convenient option for event goers to get to the new Lansdowne no matter where in Ottawa or Gatineau they might live or work.”
Another Park and Shuttle option for major events at TD Place is being provided by OSEG at four parking lots located in close proximity to Lansdowne. Parking at Canada Post (Riverside and Heron), Vincent Massey Park, the R.A. Centre and Carleton University, will provide major event ticket holders with free parking and free shuttle bus transportation to and from TD Place. The lots will open for ticketholders two hours before major events and shuttle service back to them will continue for approximately three hours after.
On game days, ticketholders should look for the “Park &; Shuttle” image, jointly developed by OSEG, the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo, to clearly identify locations where direct shuttle service to TD Place will originate. The “Take Transit” image has also been developed to identify enhanced transit routes that will be in effect on major event days.
The transportation plan also provides major event attendees with complimentary, secure bicycle parking. Ticket holders are invited to ride to and from TD Place on the scenic multi-use pathways adjacent to Queen Elizabeth Driveway and the Rideau Canal. The secure bike park will be located east of the Aberdeen Pavilion.
“We are confident the extensive transportation plan is ready for game day,” said Bernie Ashe. “To help ensure a great first season we added SP + GAMEDAY to our team. SP + GAMEDAY has extensive experience with large events and with sites with similar complexity. They have successfully managed the transportation and game day logistics for the multiple Olympic Games, Super Bowls and NCAA Final Four tournaments and we know they’ll be a valuable transportation partner here in Ottawa.”
More details on getting to TD Place are available on OttawaREDBLACKS.com, OttawaFuryFC.com, ottawa.ca or octranspo.com.
