Ottawa Central Station

Ottawa Central Station
Bus station while it was operated by Station Centrale
Location 265 Catherine Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1R 7S5
Coordinates 45°24′31″N 75°41′41″W / 45.40861°N 75.69472°W / 45.40861; -75.69472Coordinates: 45°24′31″N 75°41′41″W / 45.40861°N 75.69472°W / 45.40861; -75.69472
Owned by Crerar Silverside Corporation
Operated by
  • Ottawa Central Station Inc.
  • Greyhound Canada Transportation ULC
Bus stands 14 (4 for arrivals)
Bus operators
Construction
Parking Paid parking - short and long term
Bicycle facilities Yes
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Website Ottawa Central Station
History
Opened 1972

Ottawa Central Station is the primary inter-city bus terminus located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It used to have the same management as Montreal's major bus terminal, Gare d'autocars de Montréal before the latter was purchased by the Quebec government.[1] On February 7, 2011, the terminal operations were sold to Corporate Customer Service Limited,[2] a sub-contractor of Greyhound Canada. Corporate Customer Service formed a new company, Ottawa Central Station Inc., to manage the terminal. On September 1, 2011, Corporate Customer Service Ltd. handed over the head lease to Greyhound, who in turn negotiated and signed a long-term lease with the property's owner.[3] Ottawa Central Station Inc. remains as an agency within a Greyhound terminal. The building and the lot is owned by Crerar Silverside Corporation.[4] The station is located at 265 Catherine Street, between Kent Street and Lyon Street, just north of Highway 417, the primary expressway through Ottawa.

The station includes free Wi-Fi, an ATM, vending machines and a Mr. Sub restaurant featuring Country Style hot beverages and baked goods. Protect Guard Services operates as the station's main security. Ideal Control Systems and First Student offices are located on the second level of the terminal.

The station's operating hours are daily from 5:00 am to 2:30 am. The parcel department's hours are Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday/holidays 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

The majority of buses serving the station are operated by Greyhound Canada. Destinations from Ottawa include Toronto (with connections to the United States), Montreal (with connections to the United States, Quebec City and the Maritimes), Syracuse (with connections to New York City and Philadelphia), and Sudbury (with connections to the Prairies, British Columbia and Northern Canada).

On January 21, 2016, Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services began operating between Ottawa Central Station and Sudbury to better serve passengers connecting to and from Northern Ontario communities.[5]

On February 29, 2016, Autobus Gatineau, a subsidiary of Autobus Maheux, began operating between Ottawa Central Station and Grand-Remous after Greyhound reduced service to Fridays and Sundays only.[6] Greyhound later discontinued offering this service altogether.

On December 15, 2008, new security measures by Greyhound came into place. All Greyhound passengers are subject to random screening prior to boarding the bus, which includes the use of wand metal detectors and searching carry-on items. Any passenger refusing to be searched is not permitted to travel.

Main destinations

Bus Carrier Cities Served
Greyhound Canada Montreal, Kingston, Cornwall, Gatineau, Grand-Remous, Toronto, Sudbury, Peterborough, Belleville, Pembroke, North Bay, Syracuse
Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services Sudbury, North Bay, Pembroke, Petawawa
Campeau Bus Lines Quyon, Shawville, Fort-Coulonge
Autobus Gatineau Gatineau, Kazabazua, Maniwaki, Grand-Remous

Proposed relocation

In early 2010, Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien announced that he was working with Greyhound to move to bus terminal to a new location next to the Via Rail station on Tremblay Road,[7] effectively creating a transport hub along with the proposed LRT.[8] According to O'Brien, talks had been going on for a while and Greyhound seemed warm to the idea, however the Catherine station's owner, Stewart Robertson, was never consulted and only learned through the media about the proposed move.[9] The move has sparked controversy and mixed opinions with the public and local politicians, stating that the proposed location is inconvenient as it is not central, or more convenient as it is along the Transitway.[10]

Robertson, the station's owner, released renderings of a proposed renovation that would see the inside and outside of the terminal's aesthetics improved as well as the terminal's heating and ventilation system,[11] however these improvements would only come if Greyhound were to sign a long-term agreement with Robertson, which in the end would result in Station Centrale being phased out as the terminal's operators.[12]

On March 11, 2011, it was revealed that Stewart Robertson had applied for rezoning of the lot to general mixed-use as a contingency plan if Greyhound were to leave.[13]

In September 2011, Greyhound signed a long-term lease with Crerar Silverside Corporation. As a result, the terminal will not be relocated and extensive renovations are to be done to the station in 2011 and 2012, possibly totalling over one million dollars.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Quebec to move bus station into Ilot Voyageur complex
  2. ↑ Station Centrale sold to Corporate Customer Service Archived 2011-03-14 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ Greyhound signs new lease
  4. ↑ Station owned by Crerar Silverside Corp. Archived 2011-03-14 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "New Route Enhances Connection from the North to Ottawa". MEDIA RELEASE. Ontario Northland. 15 January 2016. Retrieved January 2016. Ontario Northland will be offering service from Sudbury to Ottawa three days per week as of Thursday, January, 21st Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ↑ http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/actualites-regionales/201602/26/01-4955165-le-transport-interurbain-sauve-dans-la-vallee-de-la-gatineau.php
  7. ↑ "O'Brien pushes to move bus terminal to Via Rail station". Centretownnewsonline.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  8. ↑ Transit hub crosses line
  9. ↑ Bus station move surprise to owner
  10. ↑ Bus station shift gets mixed reviews Archived April 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ "Bus terminal owner plans revitalization of Catherine Street location". Keepitdowntownottawa.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  12. ↑ nurun.com (2010-04-01). "Building owner wants to keep Greyhound as tenant". Ottawasun.com. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  13. ↑ Josh Pringle with Stephanie Kinsella (2011-03-10). "Robertson applies for rezoning". Cfra.com. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  14. ↑ Terminal to get renovations
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