Redevelopment of a portion of the Luskville Falls trail in Gatineau Park

The bridge located at the entrance of the Luskville Falls trail is at the end of its life. Its advanced deterioration was reported by the Life Cycle management team of the National Capital Commission (NCC). Temporary repair work was carried out at the end of 2021 to ensure public safety until the structure is replaced. The bridge has been made safe for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, the structure must be replaced in 2024 to keep the area open to the public. The bridge will be replaced with an approximately 3m wide arch culvert.  

Trail enhancement work is also planned as part of this project. The wooden stairs on the south side of the bridge will be removed and this area will be renaturalized. As for the stairs located to the north of the bridge, they will be replaced with a new wooden staircase. Access to the parking lot will be maintained by rerouting the trail through an existing unofficial trail to the south-west of the bridge. The unofficial trail will be formalized, and signage will be relocated to direct trail users accordingly. 

Construction will begin in late summer 2024 (beginning of August) and be completed in fall 2024 (end of September). 

Objectives 

  • Ensure continuity of access to the Luskville Falls trail 
  • Maintain the crossing in a safe condition for all users 
  • Adopt a more sustainable concept requiring less maintenance 
  • Streamline trail access by eliminating the main staircase and improving the surface of the unofficial trail 
  • Adjust the trailhead signage to properly direct users 

 

Construction phases 

  • Official and unofficial trail closure 
  • Closure of part of the parking lot 
  • Contractor mobilization 
  • Tree cutting to facilitate access for machinery and equipment 
  • Dismantling the existing bridge 
  • Installation of a culvert to cross the watercourse 
  • Reconstruction of the staircase located on the north side of the stream 
  • Renaturalization of the trail located on the south side of the stream following the removal of the existing stairs 
  • Restoration of watercourse conditions 
  • Improvement of the adjacent unofficial trail 

 

The project is proposed by the NCC, on lands under its stewardship (Gatineau Park). It is subject to a federal land use, design and transaction approval under the National Capital Act.  In order for the project to proceed, ECCC must make a decision under the Impact Assessment Act. This department is considered a co-signatory authority with the NCC. Additionally, coordination with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is required as DFO must issue a letter of advice under the Fisheries Act for planned work in fish habitat. 

More

Latest update

February 18th, 2024 – The public comment period on the project is closed. The National Capital Commission is considering comments received to help inform its determination on whether the carrying out of the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

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Contacts

National Capital Commission
Environmental Assessment
40 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5A8
Email: IA-EI@ncc-ccn.ca


  • Location

    • Gatineau Park (Quebec)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Recreation and Tourism

  • Assessment Status

    In progress

  • Start Date

    2024-01-19

  • Proponent

    National Capital Commission

  • Authorities

    • National Capital Commission

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    87231
Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

 

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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