The wheels are in motion to remove vehicles parked in a downtown Ottawa parkade, three weeks after a section of the parking lot collapsed.
A section of the six-level parking garage, which spans Laurier Avenue and Slater Street, collapsed on Wednesday, Feb. 26, approximately 12 hours after emergency crews received a 9-1-1 call reporting damage to one of the pillars in the garage.
Approximately 50 vehicles remain parked inside the Indigo lot.
The owner of the structure, GWL Realty Advisors, tells CTV News Ottawa that work is underway to allow for the safe removal of vehicles at the parking garage.
“We anticipate the work will be completed this week. Once engineers have confirmed the site is safe, we expect to move to the next phase of vehicle retrieval,” GWL Realty Advisors said Tuesday afternoon, adding local officials approved a plan to conduct “additional work” to allow for the “safe removal” of the trapped vehicles.
“Vehicle retrieval will take place in phases, beginning with vehicles parked on the ground floor. We are communicating directly with impacted parkers to keep them informed, offer support, and coordinate next steps. The safety of the site remains our top priority as we work to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.”
The City of Ottawa directed any inquiries about the parking garage and the vehicles parked inside to the owner of the structure.
Construction crews conducted an “isolated demolition” in an area of the structure facing Slater Street the day after the collapse. City staff said crews demolished the part of the structure that was initially compromised, and then shoring up the rest of the structure.
The cause of the partial collapse remains under investigation, but officials have said the huge pile of snow on the top level likely played a major role.
The City of Ottawa says under the Property Standards Bylaw, it is the responsibility of property owners to ensure the building or structure is properly maintained and is “in a structurally sound condition.”
According to Parkopedia, there are 378 parking spots in the Indigo lot on Laurier Avenue.
Last June, city staff approved a plan to build two apartment towers on the site. The plan, submitted last May, called for two mixed-use towers, with a 26-storey structure on Laurier Avenue and a 25-storey tower fronting Slater Street. The plan would include 586 homes, 129 parking spaces and commercial spaces.
