Meeting in the Capital 2015

MEETING Ottawa-Gatineau’s 2015 guide to event planning

in the Capital

Lansdowne

LIGHTS UP Redevelopment returns historic site to a prime events venue

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albertatbay.com | 1-800-267-6644 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

PUBLISHER Michael Curran EDITOR Peter Kovessy COPY EDITOR David Sali

Meetings 101: Budgeting basics Page 8

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Kate Chappell Lisa Holmes Steve Fouchard Michael Robinson Jacob Serebrin COPY EDITOR Krystle Kung CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Regan Van Dusen

Contents

SALES + MARKETING TEAM Kimberley Allen-McGill Wendy Baily Marc Nordemann-Keller Susan Salsbury Alison Stewart

How to ...

RESEARCHER Patti Moran

6 What’s new in Ottawa?

19 Events and festivals guide

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe PRESIDENT Michael Curran

Where to go?

Resort renos: How one couple turned an Ottawa Valley ski hill into a popular corporate getaway venue Page 16

SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALES Don Mersereau

10 Unique venues 14 Cover story: Lansdowne

Park’s multimillion-dollar makeover

Plus 13 24

28

How to plan a rural retreat Digital tricks to engage an audience The green side to Ottawa’s events industry

www.obj.ca

© 2015 Ottawa Business Journal Meeting in the Capital is published once per year by the Ottawa Business Journal. This publication contains information considered accurate at the time of printing. However, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher.

The Ottawa Business Journal is published by Great River Media Inc. All original contents copyright ©2015 by the Ottawa Business Journal. Information and opinions in Meeting in the Capital are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Information contained herein has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable.

While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, this is not guaranteed. Company listings are considered current at press time.

PRINTED IN CANADA

4

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

WE CAME TO OTTAWA FOR A CONVENTION IT CAME WITH SO MUCH MORE “We brought our Annual Meeting to Ottawa for the first time in 16 years, and it was considered one of our best in many years. The Shaw Centre and hotels were exceptional. Our offsite event took flight at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

And Ottawa Tourism made it all easy, from their initial bid through planning to assisting us with our spousal program during the event.”

Sandra Wood, CMP Manager, Annual Meeting Canadian Medical Association

WWW.OTTAWATOURISM .CA/MEETINGS

OTTAWA PRIMER

What’s new in Ottawa?

T

he sugar-sprinkled BeaverTail may be Ottawa’s original claim to culinary fame, but an ever-expanding number of restaurants, craft breweries and bars are putting Canada’s capital on the gastronomical map.

One of the city’s most famous restaurateurs, Stephen Beckta, reopened his flagship downtown location late last year after moving to the historic Grant House at 150 Elgin St. The relaunch of Beckta Dining & Wine follows a multimillion-dollar renovation project that preserved many of the 140-year-old building’s features, such as its crown moulding, rough red brick walls, ornate baseboards and window trimmings, which are now complemented by the fine dining establishment’s new sleek and modern decor.

In addition to the dining rooms on the first and second floors, the restaurant also features a wine bar for walk-in patrons.

For a more casual lunch or evening out, Sens House opened its bar and grill in the ByWard Market last year as a home for Ottawa hockey fans unable to make it to the Canadian Tire Centre.

Its rows of high-definition televisions and hockey paraphernalia make it an ideal spot to watch the game. However, the restaurant and bar has plenty to offer even when the Senators aren’t on the ice, including a 1,500-square-foot patio with a retractable roof.

Elsewhere, the Bier Markt recently opened its bar and restaurant on the Sparks Street pedestrian mall, featuring one of the largest selections of ales, lagers and pilsners in town.

In total, there are some 150 beers on offer from around the world.

For those keen to sample something more local, Ottawa is home to a growing number of craft breweries that can provide a unique backdrop for a corporate getaway.

For an overview of what’s on tap in the Ottawa area, as well as behind-the-scenes insights into the art of making beer, Brew

6

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Beckta Dining & Wine.

Photo by Roy Googan

Donkey offers private group tours of breweries in the region.

Another new and unconventional team-building activity is Ottawa City Rafting, which offers whitewater adventures in the shadow of Parliament Hill.

IN THE PIPELINE

Tours are operated by Wilderness Tours, which has run rafting trips on the Ottawa River west of the city for four decades. Corporate trips are organized so that every team member can participate and work together.

A rendering of the National Art Centre’s planned redevelopment.

Ottawa will be home to a handful of new lodgings in the coming years, including the 148-room Alt Hotel, located inside a new residential condominium development in the central business district dubbed The Slater.

It’s due to welcome its first guest next year.

Also scheduled to open in 2016 is Canada’s first Andaz Hotel, an affiliate of Hyatt Hotels. To be located in the ByWard Market, the 200-room facility is also slated to include a restaurant as well as a rooftop bar and lounge featuring an outdoor terrace.

South of the city centre, an expansion of the Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport – which will add 128 rooms, bringing the total to 295, as well as enlarging its restaurant, the Garden Grille and Bar – is scheduled to be completed this year.

Elsewhere, the National Arts Centre is undergoing a $110.5-million renewal and the Westin Ottawa is looking at constructing a new glassenclosed ballroom that overlooks Parliament Hill.

Both projects are due to be completed in time for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations in 2017.

While the biggest celebrations that year will still take place on July 1, local tourism officials are working to ensure that the festivities stretch from January to December.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

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GETTING ORGANIZED

CUT HERE

Meetings 101 Source: thegreatevent.com

START HERE

Event planning checklist 6 to 12 months ahead Yes No m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m

Decide event purpose (raise funds, visibility, celebration, etc.)

Choose a theme Visit potential sites Research/appoint an event coordinator/manager Research/select committees/chairpersons Chairperson forms subcommittees Get cost estimates (site rental, food, drinks, sound/lights, etc.)

Get recommendations for entertainment; hold auditions Get bids for entertainment Get bids for decorations Get bids for design/printing Get bids for other major items Finance committee drafts initial budget Decide on admission cost Create sponsorship amounts/levels List items to be underwritten and possible sources Research/approach honorees Compile mailing list (individuals/businesses) Check proposed date for potential conflicts, finalize date in writing Get written contracts for site

THE DETAILS

Event budget planner Venue

Rental fee $__________ Permit(s)/licence $__________ Labour $__________ Subtotal $__________

Rentals

Heat/air $__________ Furniture $__________ Tables $__________ Registration tables $__________ Chairs $__________ Pipe and drape $__________ Carpeting/flooring $__________ Props $__________ Tents/canopies $__________ Staging (skirting, stairs) $__________

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MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Risers Stanchions/ropes Labour Subtotal

Food services

Food Beverages Bartender fees Catering fees Equipment Tables/chairs Supplies - linens, china, glasses, utensils Labour/staff Gratuities Tax

$__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________

BEYOND THE NAME TAGS: Keeping things organized, on-budget and on-time will result in an all-around successful event Health permits $__________ Personnel/VIP/guests/ volunteers $__________ Misc. charges $__________ Subtotal $__________

Audio-visual

Television monitors $__________ Video players/recorders $__________ Cameras $__________ Projectors $__________ Screens $__________ Lecterns/podiums $__________ Microphones $__________ Sound system $__________ Walkie-talkies $__________ Pointers/marking pens $__________ Flip charts $__________ Blackboards $__________ Technical staff $__________ Labour $__________ Subtotal $__________

Electrical

General lighting Special lighting Generator Extension cords Video production Other rentals Labour Subtotal

Decorations

Event decor Stage decor Stage backdrop Centerpieces/table decor Flowers/plants Candles Balloons Specialty linen Chair covers Signs Props Paper supplies Misc. charges

$__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Labour Subtotal

$__________ $__________

Entertainment

Music $__________ Talent $__________ Celebrity $__________ Speaker’s fees $__________ Models $__________ Labour $__________ Other $__________ Subtotal $__________

Utilities/waste management Water hookup Restrooms/portopotties Trash/dumpsters/ Receptacles Disposal service Setup crew Cleanup crew Supplies Misc.

Subtotal

$__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________

Promotion/advertising

Print $__________ Web $__________ Radio $__________ TV $__________ Show signs $__________ Street signs $__________ Directional signs $__________ Banners $__________ Printed photos $__________ Promotional items $__________ Radio/TV/video production $__________ Subtotal $__________

Insurance

Gen. liability insurance Rider Specialized Subtotal

CUT HERE

Design & printing Designer Business cards Brochures Media kit Registration packets Posters Flyers Invitations Tickets Letterhead/envelopes Specialty items Duplicating/photocopies Logo Program Subtotal

$__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________

Misc. printing/specialities Menus Maps Sponsor signs

$__________ $__________ $__________

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Special area VIP area Name Tags/holders Place cards Awards, recognitions Engraving Certificates Prizes Frames Thank you cards Other Subtotal

Personnel

Event manager Show/event staff Additional staff Overtime Host/hostesses Registration Consultants Public relations Other Subtotal

$__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________

Misc. costs

Accounting $__________ Legal counsel $__________ Office supplies $__________ Office equipment $__________ Phone $__________ Ticket sales fees $__________ Warehouse $__________ Mileage $__________ Parking $__________ Extra supplies $__________ Event photographer $__________ Event videographer $__________ Coat check $__________ Volunteers $__________ (Appreciation activity/gifts) $__________ Complimentary tickets $__________ Taxes $__________ Misc. gratuities $__________ Specialized labour $__________ Other $__________ Subtotal $__________ Total Expenses $__________

Income Event income Booth space sales Ticket sales/admission Sponsors/underwriters Donations Merchandise Raffle Auction Bar Ad program Other Total Income Event profit or loss

$__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ $__________ MEETING THECAPITAL CAPITAL 2015 2015 MEETING ININ THE

9 9

VENUES

10

unique meeting spaces in the capital WRITTEN BY KATE CHAPPELL

1

Avalon Studios

738 Bank St., Ottawa 613-744-5353 avalonstudios.ca Using Avalon Studio as a meeting venue may prompt participants to take on a decidedly more dramatic flair than usual. That’s because Avalon Studios is the home of the Avalon Theatre, home to what was once one of Ottawa’s oldest movie houses. It is now the home of

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MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

The Acting Co., but is available to rent for fundraisers, workshops, meetings, event launches and productions. Located in the Glebe, the main Avalon Theatre features 60-foot ceilings, brick walls and a mezzanine. In addition, two more theatres (the 2nd Studio and the Chaplin Studio) were added in 2013 and 2014, all of which feature hardwood floors, Wi-Fi, high ceilings, surround sound and lighting.

2

Harbourview Hall at the Nepean Sailing Club

3259 Carling Ave., Ottawa 613-829-6462 harbourviewhall.com What better view to break up a day of meetings than watching sailboats cut through the waters of the Ottawa River, with the Gatineau Hills rolling just beyond? That is the scene at Harbourview Hall at the Nepean Sailing

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

120 chairs. The room can be reached via either interior or exterior staircases and is wheelchair accessible by elevator.

3

Velvet Room

62 York St., Ottawa 613-241-6810 velvetroom.ca With its rich red-coloured walls and antique furniture, The Velvet Room is not a typical corporate meeting place. Not to mention the fact that it is a nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights and hosts murder mysteries.

However, its decor – modeled after a 1920s speakeasy establishment – just might spark some original ideas among your participants. Located in the heart of the ByWard Market, the Velvet Room is available for events from Monday through Friday during the week as well as during the day on Saturday. The Velvet Room is equipped with Wi-Fi and a large projector and can accommodate up to 150 people. Catering is also available.

4 1 Club. Located on the second floor of the hall, the building’s award-winning architecture of wood beams resembles a sail boat. The 1,200-square-foot room can accommodate between 15 and 120 participants and break-out rooms are available. The room also includes a 12foot power-operated screen, multimedia and public address system and a full bar.

For meetings, Harbourview can provide 60-inch-diameter round tables, four and eight-foot rectangular tables and Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Aquatopia Conservatory

2710 March Rd., Ottawa 613-225-7663 aquatopiaevents.com For a more tranquil, laid-back vibe, Aquatopia offers a natural environment on 24 acres in Carp, west of Ottawa.

The four-season venue was founded by water garden enthusiasts Nicholas Bott and Catherine Neville and showcases lush vegetation, stone floors and unique architecture. For meetings, the venue can accommodate up to 150 people and provides a public address system, Wi-Fi and optional catering by award-winning Tulips and Maple. Should you wish to increase the ambiance, Aquatopia staff are on site as event planners and can create added touches such as flowers and valet service as well as photo and video recording.

5

Great Canadian Theatre Co.

1233 Wellington St. W., Ottawa 613-236-5192, ext. 228 gctc.ca While the Great Canadian Theatre Co. has become a creative icon in Ottawa, its newly constructed, modern Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre is an ideal venue for sparking new ideas for your next meeting. The GCTC itself is

5 celebrating its 40th anniversary in 201415, with the new building in Ottawa’s West Wellington neighbourhood erected in 2007. The venue is comprised of three theatres: the Mainstage, which can accommodate 250 people; the Fritzi Gallery, which has standing capacity for 130 people; and Domicile Hall, which can accommodate 150 standing. In addition, it features two spacious lobbies and state-of-the-art sound systems.

6

Real Sports Bar & Grill

90 George St., Ottawa 613-680-7325 realsports.ca Amp up the competition and big ideas at the Real Sports Bar, where everything is “bigger and better.” The 14,000-squarefoot venue can accommodate between 50 and 500 people and features a 27-foot HD television screen, 30 beer selections from 82 taps (perhaps to enjoy after the meeting), 15 flavours of wings and 11 burgers. The Real Sports Bar & Grill opened in November 2012 and is located in Ottawa’s ByWard Market. Catering can be customized to each event, as can the venue’s configuration and it is fully accessible for individuals with disabilities.

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

11

visitors, the NAC is near major hotels and has underground parking and a restaurant.

8

The Rideau Club

99 Bank St., Ottawa 613-233-7787 rideauclub.ca As one of Ottawa’s most exclusive and historical venues, the Rideau Club is a stately and sober choice for your next meeting or event. In fact, the Rideau Club is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2015, but the facilities it provides are modern for a meeting planner’s needs. The Rideau Club features a lounge, dining room with views of the Parliament Buildings, private meeting rooms, a plasma television, snooker and billiard tables and a library. In addition, the Club provides business and communications facilities for all events and meetings, as well as underground parking and access to downtown hotels.

9

7

National Arts Centre

53 Elgin St., Ottawa 613-232-5713 nac-cna.ca Surround your meeting with the prestige and history of the Parliament Buildings, Confederation Square and Ottawa’s downtown core by hosting an event at the National Arts Centre. With meeting rooms overlooking Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal, the five unique spaces can accommodate groups of between 25 and 1,000 people. The experienced event planning team provides catering services and connections to the city’s suppliers of A/V equipment and decor. In addition, every meeting room has a podium and microphone, and the building has WiFi. Should you be inviting out-of-town

9

Canadian War Museum

1 Vimy Pl., Ottawa 819-776-7018 warmuseum.ca The striking, vast Canadian War Museum overlooking the Ottawa River and just below the Parliament Buildings

presents Canada’s military past and how it shaped the country. However, the award-winning and sustainably designed structure is also an ideal venue for a meeting or event. The museum has a variety of impressive halls, intimate conference rooms and a state-of-theart theatre. The two meeting rooms can accommodate groups of between 10 and 50 people, while the banquet and reception halls can accommodate larger groups. In addition, catering services are available, as is plenty of parking and easy access to the downtown core.

10

Brookstreet Hotel

525 Legget Dr., Ottawa 613-271-3582 brookstreethotel.com A little golf between your meetings?

Or perhaps a visit to an exclusive spa in Ottawa’s west end? This is what you can experience if you plan a meeting or event at the Brookstreet Hotel.

The four-diamond golf, wedding, conference, dining and spa facility is also equipped with modern web-casting, video-conferencing and multimedia presentation support. With more than 22,000 square feet of meeting space in 18 rooms, there is also a ballroom, outdoor pavilion and 24-hour business centre, not to mention a restaurant and fitness centre. At the end of the day, guests can also enjoy live jazz music.

One location, many choices!

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Ottawa Conference and Event Centre (formerly Hampton Inn Ottawa & Conference Centre)

• 43,000 sq. ft. of event & meeting space • 37 meeting rooms, 2 ballrooms, 2 amphitheatres • Complimentary parking throughout • Complimentary hi-speed internet at both hotels

• 397 guest rooms at the Courtyard • 179 guest rooms at the Hampton • All guest rooms include microwave and mini-fridge • Right off Hwy 417, one exit from downtown Ottawa

Ottawa East

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613-288-3450

613-741-2300

www.courtyardottawaeast.com • www.ottawaconferenceandeventcentre.com • www.hamptoninnottawa.com

100 - 200 Coventry Road, Ottawa 12

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

RURAL RETREATS Benefits

Wilderness adventures How to get the most from time away from the office WRITTEN BY STEVEN FOUCHARD

G

ood business requires good collaboration.

A corporate retreat can provide an ideal environment to get ideas flowing.

An overnight or even multi-night retreat offers work colleagues the opportunity to get to know each other better in an informal setting.

That, experts say, makes for better inter-office relations.

Strathmere, located 30 minutes outside Ottawa in the village of North Gower, may be best known as a wedding venue but it opened more than three decades ago specifically as an executive retreat venue.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

CEO Mary McGill says retreats come in many different forms, with groups coming for single days or overnight meetings.

Others stay a week or more, typically for training-related activities.

“We’ve had groups come for 10 days, working from morning to night. They’ve got a heavy agenda,” Ms. McGill says.

However, she says the typical duration is one to three days.

“We do get one-week retreats or training sessions but now, with the busy lives people lead, employers don’t want to pull their people away from the office for more than a few days.”

Ms. McGill says she will steer clients away from Strathmere if they’re planning shorter-term events such as breakfast meetings or others open to the general public.

“If people have to get in and get out, it’s the sort of thing that should be done close to the office.”

Some managers may question how much is gained from corporate retreats, and whether it’s worth the time away from the office.

However, Grace Vale – a conference planning and events expert with west Ottawa-based Venues – says the benefits are clear.

“Corporate retreats have tremendous value in terms of staff morale,” she says. “(Many employees) are compressing an 18-hour day into eight hours. They may work in an organization but the only people they know are their immediate team members. At an event like a retreat, they’re able to engage more with their coworkers.”

Given the packed schedules to which many employees are accustomed, Ms. Vale says she likes to ensure retreat participants are kept busy.

Despite the urge to have employees completely disconnect from their normal routines, Ms. Vale says she doesn’t ask participants to go without their phones at a retreat. In fact, they can also be useful tools, particularly when they’re used for geocaching, a popular, scavenger hunt-like game using GPS technology.

“It allows them to explore in a very fun and current way. And it’s very costeffective.”

Planning activities at a retreat means appealing to a wide range of personality types and cultural preferences, she adds.

“You can’t force people to participate.

You have to look at the demographic, the cultural mosaic, and create programs that will appeal. Those who prefer not to participate should enjoy watching.”

Retreat quick tips: • Know the demographics and cultural preferences of participants. Plan activities with wide appeal and that introverts can benefit from just by watching.

• Keep them busy. For most people, a packed schedule is the norm.

• For team activities, six people per team is optimal.

• Rather than ask people to ignore their phones or tablets, find activities they can be incorporated into, such as geocaching.

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

13

COVER STORY

The

jewel of the city What the new Lansdowne Park has to offer event planners WRITTEN BY JACOB SEREBRIN

O

nce called an eyesore, it’s now described as a jewel.

Until recently, Lansdowne Park was known more for being home to a crumbling stadium and expansive parking lots.

In 2009, the city partnered with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, owner of the Ottawa RedBlacks football team, to undertake a massive redevelopment of the site.

The project, which carried a price tag estimated at around $300 million, was largely completed in August but some final touches – such as the opening of a new movie theatre on the site – are coming this spring.

A big part of the redevelopment is 7.3 hectares of green space along the Rideau Canal. That includes the open grass of

14

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Green space is a big part of what sets the new Lansdowne Park apart from other event venues in the city the Great Lawn, playgrounds, paths and picnic space as well as an orchard featuring heirloom apples.

That green space is a big part of what sets the new Lansdowne Park apart from other event venues in the city, says Delores MacAdam, the program manager

at the City of Ottawa’s Events Central.

“It’s the natural beauty of the park,” she says.

“You’ll fall in love with it and the risk is that you won’t want to leave.”

In addition to the green space, there’s the historic Aberdeen Pavilion and Horticulture Building as well as the outdoor South Court.

The TD Place stadium’s Club Level is also available for events and meetings.

The field itself is also available on some dates.

There’s also the possibility of using multiple venues at the site for larger events.

“There are so many capabilities at Lansdowne,” says Mike Cerha, TD Place’s vice-president of venue operations and entertainment. “You can do everything.”

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Early successes Between the different venues, the park can accommodate anything from small groups to thousands of people.

While OSEG manages the stadium and retail facilities, the city handles the green spaces and the pavilions.

One event that used both city and OSEG facilities at TD Place and Lansdowne Park was the Polar Hero race in January, Ms. MacAdam says.

The five-kilometre race started in the Aberdeen Pavilion, with runners heading to the stadium, where they ran up and down the stairs and then back to the park to tackle a snow-covered obstacle course.

The site is also well-suited to other, less intense, events. Recent happenings include yoga under a full moon and Sax in the City, a concert held in the Horticulture Building as part of Winterlude.

Elsewhere on the 16-hectare property, the Aberdeen Pavilion was used by the Scottish Society of Ottawa for its Hogmanay, a traditional New Year’s Eve party.

“It started as a family event during the day,” Ms. MacAdam says. “Then, at night, there was a concert.”

The evening, which included scotch tasting, was rounded out with fireworks.

Adjacent amenities When it comes to planning events at Lansdowne, Ms. MacAdam says meeting planners need to ask themselves what kind of experience they want for attendees.

Whatever they answer, “we can create that,” she says.

The outdoor spaces also create the opportunity for team-building exercises. For example, in the winter, organizations could hold group races on the nearby Rideau Canal Skateway, Ms. MacAdam suggests.

With so many different public and private events going on at the same time, she recommends meeting and event planners also “take advantage of what is happening at the park and the surrounding area.”

There’s also shopping, restaurants and a movie theatre which, depending on the type of meeting or event, could allow for a nice break, Ms. MacAdam says.

“We have over 10 restaurants on-site,” says Mr. Cerha, adding they include everything from the “low-key to very high-end.”

Many of them aren’t found anywhere else in Ottawa, including Vancouver’s Joey and the South St. Burger Co. from Toronto.The Lansdowne area also boasts a Whole Foods Market, a Sporting Life and an LCBO. In another first for Ottawa, the Cineplex Cinemas at the site includes VIP-branded theatres offering in-seat food and alcohol service.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

LANSDOWNE PARK VENUES ABERDEEN PAVILION Colloquially known as the Cattle Castle, the Aberdeen Pavilion was used for agricultural exhibitions as well as by the military during both World Wars and the Second Boer War. It was also the site of the 1904 Stanley Cup final.

The building can now hold around 7,000 people or be sectioned off and scaled down for smaller events.

“It’s raw concrete floor but it’s beautiful,” says Ms. MacAdam.

The United Way has used the building for breakfasts to kick off its annual fundraising campaign.

It’s also the winter home of the Ottawa Farmers’ Market.

It’s already been used for gatherings such as outdoor yoga and will be open for casual sports and general outdoor enjoyment.

SOUTH COURT This outdoor space features an interlocked stone surface and is wide open except for some benches. It can host up to 7,000 people.

“It’s big enough that someone can do an event there and it’s not touching the Great Lawn,” Ms. MacAdam says.

She notes the South Court is a good place for happenings such as concerts.

HORTICULTURE BUILDING “I think the (Horticulture Building) is the jewel of the city,” Ms. MacAdam says. “It’s been converted back to its original state.”

That meant restoring large windows and exposed brick walls.

“Anywhere in that building, you can see the park,” she says.

The building can hold about 700 people and is highly versatile. Tables and chairs are available and it has a kitchen.

“We’ve done concerts, weddings and meetings in there,” Ms. MacAdam says.

The building also has a meeting room and “hub stations” – small offices that the city plans to rent to festival organizers on a monthly basis.

TD PLACE CLUB LEVEL Nestled above the stadium seats is the TD Place Club Level.

“It’s not four walls,” says Mr. Cerha. “You’ve got the view of the stadium (and the Rideau Canal) … It’s just an awesome view,” he adds.

Events can be scheduled while a practice is taking place below. Organizers can even make use of the field when scheduling permits.

While the ability to use TD Place for meetings and events has been kept pretty low-key, Mr. Cerha adds that “we’re just like a convention centre; we have the same equipment.”

The stadium’s other commitments do mean “confirmation time is a little tighter” than meeting planners might be used to, he says.

GREAT LAWN With room for 17,000 people, the Great Lawn will be “absolutely spectacular,” Ms. MacAdam says. It will be the new home of the recently renamed Ottawa Folk Festival, now called CityFolk.

Preserving the lawn’s grass is going to be a priority for the city but that doesn’t mean the Great Lawn will be limited to the occasional large event.

BONUS: STANDING AREA ABOVE THE 100-LEVEL SOUTH-SIDE STANDS While it’s not an official meeting place, some people say it’s become one of the hottest business networking areas in the city during RedBlacks games.

While Mr. Cerha says he hasn’t heard that, “I wouldn’t doubt it,” he says. “It’s very popular; it’s like a microcosm of the city.”

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

15

MORALE-BOOSTING MEETINGS

Ski meet

E

ntrepreneurs from all corners of Ottawa’s business scene are showing off their wild side by moving meetings from the office to the great outdoors.

As a result, organizers no longer have to choose between whether a host venue is for business or for pleasure. Because at a ski resort, meetings can be both.

This advantage is especially important considering a conference’s setting can affect the productivity of participants, says Paul Murphy, president of the privately owned Calabogie Peaks Resort.

“Consider this: an individual finds themselves daydreaming during a meeting at work,” he says. “But instead of looking out the window to see a boring parking lot and endless skyscrapers, they see trees and deer.

“Now, who is going to be more productive?”

From stocks to slopes Mr. Murphy should know. He and his wife, Liz, have already experienced the transition from concrete jungle to rural wilderness when they moved from New York City’s Wall Street to the Ottawa Valley six years ago.

Mr. Murphy was an investment banker

16

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

How a former Wall Street couple turned Calabogie Peaks into Eastern Ontario’s largest mountain resort and a popular corporate getaway venue WRITTEN BY MICHAEL ROBINSON

for nearly three decades before he made the move. He had no experience operating a ski resort, but it wasn’t long before he started tapping into his rolodex to connect with ski resort owners in the eastern United States.

A conference’s setting can affect the productivity of participants.

“This isn’t the type of business you can learn from a textbook,” Mr. Murphy says.

“You need to be on-site and apply unique solutions specifically tailored to a resort. “ After speaking to those already experienced in the business, the couple began to plan the resort’s overhaul.

“One of the things we discovered early on is that we needed to make an investment in all (four) seasons,” says Mr. Murphy.

Throughout the spring and summer, the resort operates what it calls a 25-room boutique hotel, condominium and cottage

lodging facilities as well as a nine-hole golf course, lakeside bar and grill and docking and water activities combined with miles of hiking and biking trails.

Additionally, the couple has made major upgrades to Calabogie’s alpine facilities.

This included a four-year, $3 million installation of a new snowmaking system and $3 million more to expand the resort to accommodate both larger meetings and more skiers.

The business of meetings That’s helped Calabogie Peaks earn the title of Eastern Ontario’s largest mountain resort and attract some 150,000 visitors annually.

However, a growing share of the property’s revenues is coming from hosting corporate events.

“The meeting scene here is growing steadily,” says Ms. Murphy, who works as director of marketing at the resort. She estimates it currently makes up a quarter of the company’s business.

“More and more functions are being held here to specifically escape from the city.”

One such occasion was when Calabogie hosted a technology company whose intention was to cut cords and remain Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MAKING A RESORT MEETING WORK

disconnected for a weekend of distractionfree brainstorming.

“The group settled in at one of our remote cabins situated alongside the river, two hours from the main resort,” says Ms. Murphy. “We helped them go back to the basics with big easels and cork boards where it was just them and their thoughts.”

If attendees have expectations of reliving their youth by going out on the town and hitting the bar, Ms. Murphy said they may be disappointed. Many ski resorts are located outside of city limits, which means participants may have limited access to clubs and bars.

“We have people book meetings here for that exact reason,” Ms. Murphy says. “They want participants to focus and not have those types of distractions that are found in the city.”

O T TAWA

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Tel: 613.748.7800 Toll Free: 1.800.387.4381 Fax: 613.748.0499 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

17

© Serge Fournier

Unforgettable Events in the National Capital Region

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MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

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A W A T T O & FESTIVALS 2015

EVENTS

of culture, s n o ti ra b le ce e th ll a Your guide to capital ’s a d a n a C in ts r o sp food, music & RICHARD TERMINE PHOTO

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

19

2015 EVENTS & FESTIVALS

MAY Latin American Film Festival Library and Archives Canada

The festival showcases features, documentaries and short films from south of the Rio Grande.

April 25-May 9 613-232-6727 cfi-icf.ca

Ottawa ComicCon EY Centre

A celebration of pop culture and entertainment from the worlds of comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, anime, gaming and more.

May 8-10

ottawacomiccon.com

Ottawa International Children’s Festival LeBreton Flats

A celebration of the performing arts for young audiences and their families, featuring theatre, dance, arts and music from highly acclaimed international and local artists.

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MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

May 4-13

613-241-0999 ottawachildrensfestival.ca

Canadian Tulip Festival Throughout Ottawa-Gatineau

An annual celebration showcasing a million tulips throughout the National Capital Region.

May 8-18

613-567-5757 / 800-66-TULIP tulipfestival.ca

A Musical Taste of Our Canadian Heritage

Algonquin College Commons Theatre

More than 50 performers in one integrated, historical narrative showcasing the roots and development of Canadian music.

public in to share the secrets of architecturally and historically significant buildings.

June 6-7

613-580-9674 ottawa.ca/doorsopen

Ottawa Fringe Festival Various locations

A celebration of the arts and an opportunity for local, national and international artists to showcase original work.

June 18-28

Major’s Hill Park

613-232-6162 ottawafringe.com

June 11-13

Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

Franco Ontarian Festival Concerts, street art and entertainment celebrating Franco-Ontarian culture.

Mooney’s Bay Park

613-321-0102 ffo.ca

A celebration of the historic Chinese tradition of boat racing alongside a children’s activity area and multicultural performances.

Italian Week Ottawa

June 25-28

Preston Street

A celebration of music, food and cultural activities.

613-238-7711 dragonboat.net

613-858-9086 italianweekottawa.org

JULY

JUNE

WESTfest

Canada Day

Doors Open Ottawa

Westboro Village’s festival of music, art and life.

Building owners unlock their doors and welcome the

613-729-3565 westfest.ca

May 12-14

613-321-2066 odysseyshowcase.org

Various locations

June 11-21

Richmond Road

June 13-14

Downtown Ottawa and Gatineau Canada’s 148th birthday in the capital resonates with

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

2015 EVENTS & FESTIVALS

pageantry and the sounds of celebration.

July 1

819-997-0055 / 866-811-0055 canadaday.gc.ca

Varekai by Cirque du Soleil Canadian Tire Centre

A blend of circus arts and street entertainment following the story of a young man parachuted into the shadows of a magical forest.

July 2-5

800-450-1480 cirquedusoleil.com/varekai

GoodLife Fitness City Chase Downtown Ottawa

Canada’s largest urban adventure race featuring teams navigating their way through the city.

July 18

goodlifefitnesscitychase.ca

Ottawa Busker Festival Sparks Street Village

Unorthodox entertainment by street performers from around the world.

July 30-Aug. 3

613-230-0984 ottawabuskerfestival.com

AUGUST Colonel By Day Bytown Museum

Live music, dancing, heritage demonstrators, costumed characters and games.

Aug. 3 H.O.P.E. Volleyball SummerFest Mooney’s Bay Park

The world’s largest one-day outdoor beach volleyball tournament alongside a variety of entertainment events.

July 11

613-742-4673 hopehelps.com

Ottawa Lebanese Festival St. Elias Cathedral

Middle Eastern food, entertainment and heritage.

July 15-19

613-738-2222 www.ottawalebanesefestival.com

613-234-4570 www.bytownmuseum.com

Festival of India

Marion Dewar Plaza (Ottawa City Hall) Music, dance, cinema and handicrafts.

Aug. 7-9

613-739-7028 festivalofindiaottawa.org

SEPTEMBER Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival

Oct. 2-3

866-585-2337 beausoktoberfest.ca

Gatineau

Canada’s largest balloon festival.

Sept. 3-7

819-243-2330 / 800-668-8383 montgolfieresgatineau.com/en

Oktoberfest Ottawa

Clarke Fields Park, Barrhaven

Local beer, food, performers and the biggest Bavarian beer hall in Ontario.

Ottawa International Animation Festival

Oct. 2-4

Various locations

613-769-4800 oktoberfestottawa.com

North America’s largest animation festival.

Sept. 16-20

613-232-8769 animationfestival.ca

NOVEMBER

CityFolk 2015

National War Memorial

Remembrance Day Ceremony

Festival highlighting Canadian traditions with music,

A moving ceremony of remembrance for the men and women who have served in Canada’s military.

dance, storytelling and crafts.

Nov. 11

Lansdowne Park

Sept. 17-20

613-591-3335 legion.ca

613-230-8234 / 877-730-8234 cityfolkfestival.ca

Carp Fair

Village of Carp

A celebration of agriculture in Ottawa’s countryside.

Sept. 24-27

613-839-2172 carpfair.ca

Sound of Light

Canadian Museum of History

International fireworks competition.

Aug. 8-22

(Wednesdays and Saturdays)

819-771-3389 feux.qc.ca

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

OCTOBER Beau’s Oktoberfest Vankleek Hill, Ont.

.

Bavarian-inspired food, beer, live music and events

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

21

2015 EVENTS & FESTIVALS

We Call Them Vikings

Body Worlds: Animal Inside Out

Canadian Museum of History

l Interactive exhibit drawing on recent archaeologica were, really Vikings the who discoveries to explain where they came from, and how they lived.

Canadian Museum of Nature

Presented for the first time in Canada, this exhibition leads guests on an exploration of what lies beneath the surface of animals.

Dec. 3, 2015-April 17, 2016 819-776-7000 / 800-555-5621 historymuseum.ca

Until Sept. 20

613-566-4700 / 800-263-4433 nature.ca

Canadian Geographic Challenge

SPORTS & ATHLETICS

Canadian Museum of Nature

Canada’s biggest geography challenge returns to Ottawa with host Alex Trebek.

May 4

canadiangeographic.ca

Chagall: Daphnis & Chloé

Ottawa Fury FC

Illustrations of the pastoral idylls of the goatherd Daphnis and the shepherdess Chloé on the island of Lesbos as recounted in a

Sixteen North American Soccer League home games

National Gallery of Canada

MUSEUMS, GALLERIES & STAGES

Until Jan. 3, 2016 613-234-4570 bytownmuseum.com

1867: Rebellion and Confederation Canadian Museum of History

Explore the three decades that led up to the foundation of Canada through never-before-seen artifacts and activities.

Until Jan. 4, 2016

819-776-7000 / 800-555-5621 historymuseum.ca

Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada

Alex Colville

National Gallery of Canada

A fresh perspective on the work of one of Canada’s most celebrated artists.

Until Sept. 7

613-990-1985 / 800-319-2787 gallery.ca

Ontario Scene

National Arts Centre

Musicians, actors, dancers, choreographers, visual and media artists, filmmakers, writers and master chefs take over Ottawa.

April 28-May 10

Canadian Museum of History

613-947-7000 / 866- 850-2787 ontarioscene.ca

Until Jan. 24, 2016

BioART: Collaborating with Life

Thirty-five years later, relive Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope in the largest exhibition of its kind.

819-776-7000 / 800-555-5621 historymuseum.ca

Hidden in Plain Sight: Ottawa’s History Bytown Museum

This temporary exhibition compares and contrasts historic photographs from the museum’s primary s artifact collection with modern digital interpretation

Karsh-Masson Gallery

This group exhibition explores contemporary collaborations between human artists and other s species in the lab, the wilderness and cities toward ks. the production of biological artwor

April 28-May 31

613-580-2424 ottawa.ca/en/liveculture/ karsh-masson-gallery

TD Place at Lansdowne Park

Until Oct. 18 (check schedule) ottawafuryfc.com

semi-erotic second-century Greek tale.

May 23-Sept. 13

Parliament Hill Yoga

Magnetic North Theatre Festival

Free yoga sessions on the lawn in front of Parliament.

May 6-Sept. 30 (Wednesdays at noon,

Canada’s national festival of contemporary Canadian

613-230-6633 facebook.com/lululemonRideauCentre

613-990-1985 / 800-319-2787 gallery.ca

Parliament Hill

National Arts Centre / Arts Court / University of Ottawa

weather permitting)

theatre.

Ottawa Champions

June 4-13

613-947-7000 / 866-850-2787 magneticnorthfestival.ca

Ottawa Stadium

Professional baseball returns to Ottawa as the Champions kick off their first season in the Can-Am League.

May 22-Sept. 7 (check schedule)

The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great

ottawachampions.com/en

Canadian Museum of History

a Artifacts from 22 Greek museums take visitors on . culture Greek of years 5,000 h journey throug

June 5-Oct. 12

819-776-7000 / 800-555-5621 historymuseum.ca

Media installation encapsulating a decade of video experiments.

June 11-July 26

613-580-2424 ottawa.ca/en/liveculture/ karsh-masson-gallery

Downtown Ottawa

More than 40,000 participants compete in a variety of races, including Canada’s largest marathon.

May 23-24

Tasman Richardson – Necropolis Karsh-Masson Gallery

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

613-234-2221 / 866-786-6882 runottawa.ca

FIFA Women’s World Cup TD Place at Lansdowne Park

The top female soccer players in the world converge in Canada for the world championships.

June 7-26 (check schedule) www.fifa.com/Canada2015

of their hidden stories.

22

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

2015 EVENTS & FESTIVALS Ottawa RedBlacks

Nature Nocturne: Show Off

Nine Canadian Football League home games.

Dance until midnight while DJs fill the castle with music.

Canadian Museum of Nature

TD Place at Lansdowne Park

FOOD

July 4-Nov. 7 (check schedule) ottawaredblacks.com

May 22

613-566-4700 / 800-263-4433 nature.ca

5K Foam Fest Canada Edelweiss Ski Resort

A fun run featuring mud, water, foam and more than 16 obstacles.

July 25

888-817-6784 5kfoamfest.ca/ottawa

2015 Shark World Championship Britannia Yacht Club

Sailboat racing on the Ottawa River.

Aug. 22-28

613-828-5167 byc.ca

2015 Canadian Sprint CanoeKayak Championships Mooney’s Bay

Canadian canoe and kayak athletes compete in national championships.

Aug. 25-30

ckcchampionships2015.com

Canada Army Run

Along the Rideau Canal

A half-marathon and 5K run attract military and civilian runners, walkers and spectators from around the world.

Sept. 20

armyrun.ca

Canada Roars: A Musical Taste of Our Canadian Heritage

Spring Poutine Fest on Sparks Sparks Street Village

Canadian Museum of History

Purveyors of poutine and the restaurants of Sparks Street offer up their versions of the iconic dish.

More than 50 performers come together into an integrated, historical narrative showcasing the roots and development of Canadian musical heritage.

April 24-26

613-230-0984 sparkslive.com

June 11

Ottawa Farmers’ Market

Gatineau BeerFest

Ottawa-area fruits, vegetables, meats, flowers and crafts.

Until Nov. 15 (Wednesdays, Fridays and

Artisans, local produce, beer and food in an outdoo country atmosphere.

613-321-2066 odysseyshowcase.org

Lansdowne Park

Sundays)

613-986-2770 ottawafarmersmarket.ca

Bon Appétit Ottawa

Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park

Top restaurants, hotels, caterers, wineries and breweries join together for one of the city’s top cocktail parties.

Jacques Cartier Park

r

May 29-31

festibiere.ca/en/summer

Ottawa Ribfest

Sparks Street Village

Annual competition pitting the best barbecue joints from across North America.

June 17-21

613-230-0984 sparkslive.com

May 5

TD Ottawa Jazz Festival

Confederation Park and other locations

From avant-garde to big band and swing, the 35th anniversary of this annual festival features artists to suit all jazz fans.

June 19-July 1

613-241-2633 / 888-226-4495 ottawajazzfestival.com

Music and Beyond

Downtown churches and concert halls

A classical music festival that presents more than 85 concerts.

July 4-16

613-231-5651 bonappetitottawa.ca

613-241-0777 musicandbeyond.ca

MUSIC

RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest LeBreton Flats

One of the largest international music events in the world.

July 9-19 Def Leppard

613-247-1188 / 866-258-3748 ottawabluesfest.ca

Heavy metal band in Ottawa’s new concert venue.

Ottawa Chamberfest

TD Place at Lansdowne Park

May 4

613-599-3267 www.tdplace.ca

Volbeat

TD Place at Lansdowne Park

Danish metal band Volbeat plays TD Place with special guests Anthrax and Crobot.

Dominion-Chalmers United Church

The world’s largest chamber music festival featuring concerts in Ottawa churches.

July 23-Aug. 6

613-234-6306 ottawachamberfest.com

May 13

613-599-3267 tdplace.ca

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

23

TECHNOLOGY

d e t c e n n o c ing The

meet Digital plans for before, during and after an event WRITTEN BY MICHAEL ROBINSON

A few years ago, the Internet could be a meeting planner’s worst nightmare.

Smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices all provided portals to endless distraction, leading to the advent of the now-ubiquitous opening request that all conference participants turn their phones off.

Attendees still actively check their e-mail, post to Twitter and snap selfies.

What’s changed, however, is that online access during meetings has moved from being a hindrance for event organizers to an integral tool used to host successful, dynamic and interactive conferences.

Whether it’s a large-scale convention or a small office function, several industry professionals have advice on how to maximize a meeting’s online connections.

BEFORE THE MEETING Securing (ideally free) Wi-Fi access For meeting planner Claire Fitzpatrick of CF Conference & Event Management Services, a venue’s ability to accommodate conference-goers’ connectivity needs has become one of her top priorities.

“Internet is now a key basic element of any event,” she says.

“This means providing a fast and

24

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

reliable network that is, ideally, free of charge.”

While more venues provide complimentary public Wi-Fi, others still charge steep rates for Internet access.

Some hotels and conference centers use another model, providing free access points that require conference guests to register for a free account.

When faced with a venue that charges for Internet access, one creative solution is to approach an Internet service

provider to be an advertising partner to offset the cost.

“It is now very common at conferences to have an Internet sponsor along with a mobile device charging station,” Ms. Fitzpatrick says. Options include adding the sponsor’s name to a landing page or branding a device recharge station with the ISP’s logo.

Ms. Fitzpatrick believes most venues will eventually move to offer free Wi-Fi, or at least bundle it in with the base rate.

FAST ENOUGH? New online tools allow meeting planners to gauge a prospective venue’s Internet speeds without leaving the office.

Websites such as Speedspot maintain a database that users can search for a hotel of their choice and compare Internet speed results. Another site, Hotel WiFi Test, also informs users whether or not the hotel charges for access.

Before speaking to a venue’s sales team, a meeting planner should understand their general requirements. Will attendees only be doing light browsing? Or are they power users who will be swapping files with peers and staying connected with their colleagues in the office all day?

Are you requesting free Wi-Fi? Will the signal need to be accessed throughout all areas of the venue or just certain meeting rooms?

Bring along someone tech-savvy from the IT department during a site visit and get them to ask technical questions. What is the venue’s average packet loss? What happens in the case of an outage? Are there hardwired Ethernet cable channels available? How many access points are there? Is there enough bandwidth to accommodate all attendees for this type of event?

Be sure to ask the venue to provide references from previous clientele who have organized conferences of a similar scale.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Others, however, believe accessibility issues – for attendees, at least – are largely a challenge of the past.

“Wi-Fi is less of a problem now because of cellular … telecommunication networks,” says John Craig, vice-president of sales and marketing at Purple Forge. The company develops conference and event mobile applications.

“Nevertheless, a lot of event organizers are shaking their heads at venues that haven’t modernized their Wi-Fi infrastructure.”

Along with securing Internet access, it’s also important for event organizers to start deploying their social media messages before the conference begins.

This includes using Twitter and LinkedIn to raise awareness of the event in advance as well as asking professional speakers to use

a conference’s official hashtag to cross-promote an event.

“We encourage all speakers and organizers to include hashtag and Twitter address information in their communication plans ahead of the event,” says Ms. Fitzpatrick, adding this information is typically included in the agreement letters.

SPACIOUS COMFORT.

SERIOUS BUSINESS.

DURING THE MEETING: Managing social media Ms. Fitzpatrick notes it is vital for a meeting planner to assign a social media editor to post and curate relevant information on digital platforms.

“During a conference, we’ve established live Twitter feeds so people can follow hashtags but you require a staff person to monitor it and keep the conversation on track, as well as to remove any inappropriate

DEPLOYING A CONFERENCE APP With smartphones glued to the hands of many conference-goers, it’s no surprise that mobile applications have been custom-fit for events.

A conference app can organize materials, show a complete digest of relevant tweets and help attendees connect with one another.

John Craig, Purple Forge’s vice-president of sales and marketing, says there are four key benefits of developing a conference-specific app: • It provides information to people on the devices they use most frequently. “It’s not just text and pictures … think about accessing location-enabled information (so that) when a delegate walks into a venue they’ll receive pop-up notifications,” he says.

• It saves money by reducing the amount of conference material that needs to be printed.

• It creates new opportunities for advertising and sponsorships.

• It’s a new outlet for corporate advocacy. “Being able to buzz guests and encourage them to perform activities that benefit the organization, all from their pocket, is key,” he adds.

Organizers should be aware that digital applications represent a change of culture for some people. To help them remain fully engaged, planners should consider designating a specific member of their team who can help attendees download the app and provide a basic tutorial.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

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content,” she says.

Speakers should also encourage those in attendance to use the hashtag as a way of posing questions. In the age of social networks, some guests may be more comfortable tweeting than walking up to a microphone.

However, tweets and other social network posts can quickly get out of hand.

“Some groups have expressed concern that attendees would only tweet out pictures of the ‘fun’ stuff,” says Fitzpatrick.

“It is a concern because when someone goes to look at the photos that have been uploaded, they may be more likely to come across those taken at the bar or after-party than the professional-appearing ones of a brainstorming session or speaker lecture.”

One way of encouraging more of the latter content is to place relevant hashtag information as a centrepiece at meeting tables or on the back of employee’s badges.

It’s important to gauge your audience’s tech savviness in advance. In some cases, conference-goers may not be comfortable with social media, or technology generally, to take full advantage of a connected-meeting engagement strategy.

“It all depends on the demographic of the conference,” says Ms. Fitzpatrick. “If they are aging, they may not have the desire to interact with conference material online, or even interact on social media like LinkedIn or Twitter.”

AFTER THE MEETING: Keeping the conversation going When the meeting ends, the best way to increase the reach and impact is to keep the conversation going.

A well-organized conference

program can be a strong source of content for an organization weeks and even months after participants go home, said Mitchell Beer, president of Smarter Shift, a social media strategy company.

He argues that once is never enough for any piece of content in the world of social media. So don’t feel bad for rinsing, repeating, reusing, repurposing and refocusing content on internal company blogs, external news releases and various social media platforms.

“You have to provide old material in different formats, and at different levels of detail, depending on who you’ve identified as the audience and what you want them to do with it,” says Mr. Beer.

Also, remember that most conference-goers will soon forget about their conference experience if they aren’t reminded of it afterwards.

“If your emphasis is strictly on conference logistics, you won’t be addressing the memorable content elements, the key messaging or scientific breakthroughs, that you most want participants to bring home and talk about,” cautions Mr. Beer.

That is why planners should also pay attention to the actual conference content that is passing through attendee’s hands. Without recycling those key meeting benchmarks in the months to come, all that work achieved at the conference may very well become lost.

“I’ve used social media to send a thank-you note to participants … to keep the conversation going and the conference fresh in their minds,” says Ms. Fitzpatrick, giving examples of messages that encourage participants to return to the event’s website to see photos from the conference or review PowerPoint slides.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

OTTAWA’S BIGGEST AND BEST CELEBRATION OF BUSINESS EXCELLENCE

Network with the city’s rising business stars!

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Forty Under 40 Gala Thursday, June 18, 2015 @ Hilton Lac-Leamy.

Recipients will be announced in late April, so stay tuned!

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Powered by Ottawa Business Events Would you like the scoop on upcoming events?

Email us at info@ottawabusinessevents.ca

Tickets: $175 Ottawa Chamber members/$195 non-members | Get your tickets today at OttawaChamber.ca For ticket info, email info@ottawabusinessevents.ca or call 613.236.7029 ext.135

ENVIRONMENT

Ottawa’s hidden green side How the capital became a leader in sustainable meetings

I

Ottawa’s premier full-service, event production and exhibit design company offering turn key solutions for the integration of stage design, lighting, sound, audio-visual and décor to create and customize events with uniqueness beyond expectations!

www.eventdesign.ca 613.739.3442

28

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

nside hotel kitchens and behind convention room walls, Ottawa’s events industry is growing more ecofriendly.

Green meetings offer planners and suppliers the opportunity to reduce their impact on the environment and save money at the same time.

However, many of the steps taken by transportation, hospitality and venue operators aren’t always apparent to the average event attendee.

Here are some of the top sustainability features in Ottawa that you may not know about: Ottawa’s MacdonaldCartier International Airport diverted 30 per cent of the waste from aircrafts, restaurants, maintenance facilities and public and office areas in 2013. That’s up from 18 per cent in 2006.

Dozens of hotels in and around town are part of the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, a graduated rating system designed to recognize facilities that are committed to improving their environmental and fiscal performance.

Two local hotels have received its highest five-key rating: The Ramada Ottawa on the Rideau (formerly the

Monterey Inn) – which bills itself as the city’s only carbonneutral hotel – and the Westin Ottawa, which has multiple initiatives to conserve natural resources and reduce waste and pollution.

Similarly, the Fairmont Château Laurier offers an “eco-cuisine” menu that includes locally sourced products. Meeting rooms include recycling stations and the hotel’s food service includes waste-free features such as china and washable linen napkins.

Meanwhile, two of the city’s newest and largest meeting spaces were built with sustainability in mind.

Some 97 per cent of the waste generated during construction of the Shaw Centre, which opened in April 2011, was diverted from landfills. It’s now a LEED Goldcertified facility in recognition of its environmental sustainability features.

That includes a rainwater cistern, which reduces indoor water use by two-thirds and outdoor water use by 71 per cent. Additionally, the Shaw Centre uses 39 per cent less energy than a conventional building.

Across town, the EY Centre is a LEED Silver candidate with its low-energy lighting, compostable food packaging, low-flush toilets and on-site rainwater and stormwater management.

Lisa Holmes, a meeting planner within the federal government and an active member of the Ottawa chapter of MPI, contributed to this article.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Named One of the Top 3 Convention Centres in the World It’s hardly surprising that Shaw Centre was recently named one of the top 3 Convention Centres in the world by the International Association of Congress Centres. After all, it is a venue renowned for its magnificent design and its spectacular setting in the heart of Canada’s Capital. And it has been widely applauded for its field-to-table food service, commitment to sustainability, and focus on delivering unparalleled experiences.

All of which rank high on every meeting planner’s mind. Come experience Canada’s Meeting Place.

SHAW-CENTRE.COM | 1-800-450-0077 | 613-563-1984 | info@shaw-centre.com Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

29

Largest Meeting & Venue

Address

Phone

Fax

Web

EY Centre

4899 Uplands Dr., Ottawa, ON K1V 2N6

613-822-8800

613-237-0685

eycentre.ca

Shaw Centre

55 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1N 9J2

613-563-1984

613-563-7646

shaw-centre.com

Carleton University Conference Services

1125 Colonel By Dr., 172 Residence Common Building, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6

613-520-5611

613-520-2750

carleton.ca/conferenceservices

Lansdowne Park

450 Queen Elizabelth Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5J3

613-580-2429

N/A

ottawa.ca/lansdownepark

University of Ottawa Conventions & Reservations

85 University Pvt., Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5

613-562-5771

613-562-5201

reservations.uottawa.ca

Nepean Sportsplex

1701 Woodroffe Ave., Nepean, ON K2G 1W2

613-580-2424 x23055

613-580-9607

ottawa.ca

Palais des congres de Gatineau

50 Maisonneuve Blvd., 3rd floor, Gatineau, QC J8X 4H4

819-595-8000

819-595-8012

congresgatineau.com

Hilton Lac-Leamy

3 Casino Blvd., Gatineau, QC J8Y 6X4

819-790-6444

819-790-6408

hiltonlacleamy.com

NAV Centre

1950 Montreal Rd., Cornwall, ON K6H 6L2

1-877-832-6416

613-936-5089

navcentre.ca

The Westin Ottawa

11 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1N 9H4

613-560-7000

613-560-7359

thewestinottawa.com

Hampton Inn Ottawa by Hilton

100 Coventry Rd., Ottawa, ON K1K 4S3

613-741-2300

613-741-8689

hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels /ontario/hampton-inn-by-hilton -ottawa-YOWCNHX/index.html

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre

200 Coventry Rd., Ottawa, ON K1K 4S3

613-288-3450

613-667-9888

ottawaconferenceandeventcentre.com

Algonquin College

385 Woodroffe Ave., Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8

613-727-4723x 7481

613-727-7735

algonquincollege.com/conference

Fairmont Château Laurier

1 Rideau St., Ottawa, ON K1N 8S7

613-241-1414

613-562-7030

fairmont.com

Ottawa Marriott

100 Kent St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5R7

613-238-1122

613-783-4228

ottawamarriott.com

RA Centre

2451 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7

613-733-5100

613-736-6233

racentre.com

Canadian Museum of History

100 Laurier St., Gatineau, QC K1A 0M8

819-776-7018

819-776-7059

history.ca/facilityrentals

Delta Ottawa City Centre

101 Lyon St., Ottawa, ON K1R 5T9

613-237-3600

613-237-9114

deltaottawacitycentre.com

La Cité

801 Aviation Pky., Ottawa, ON K1K 4R3

613-742-2483

613-742-2479

collegelacite.ca

North Grenville Municipal Centre

285 County Road 44, P.O. Box 130, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0

613-258-9569 x134

613-258-9620

northgrenville.ca

Brookstreet

525 Legget Dr., Ottawa, ON K2K 2W2

613-271-1800

613-271-3541

brookstreet.com

Canadian War Museum

1 Vimy Pl., Ottawa, ON K1A 0M8

819-776-7018

819-776-7059

warmuseum.ca/facilityrentals

Canadian Museum of Nature

240 McLeod St., Ottawa, ON K2P 2R1

613-566-4712

613-566-4798

nature.ca

Travelodge Ottawa Hotel & Conference Centre

1376 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Z 7L5

613-722-7600

613-722-2226

travelodgeottawa.com

National Arts Centre - Meetings and Events

53 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1

613-232-5713

613-943-1403

nacmeetings.ca

Saint Paul University

223 Main St., Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4

613-236-1393 x2240

613-782-3005

ustpaul.ca

Ben Franklin Place

101 Centrepointe Dr., Ottawa, ON, K2G 5K7

613-580-2424 x41216

613-580-2704

centrepointetheatre.com

St. Elias Centre Conference & Banquet Facility

750 Ridgewood Ave., Ottawa, ON K1V 6N1

613-737-4997

613-737-6493

steliascentre.com

Shenkman Arts Centre

245 Centrum Blvd., Ottawa, ON K1E 0A1

613-580-2787

613-580-2656

shenkmanarts.ca

Crowne Plaza Gatineau-Ottawa

2 Montcalm St., Gatineau, QC J8X 4B4

819-778-3880

819-778-3309

crowneplaza.com/gatineauottawa

Centurion Conference & Event Center

170 Colonnade Rd. S., Ottawa, ON K2E 7J5

613-727-1044

613-727-8293

centurioncenter.com

Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello

392 Notre Dame, Montebello, QC J0V 1L0

819-423-6341

819-423-1133

fairmont.com/montebello

Lord Elgin Hotel

100 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5K8

613-235-3333

613-235-3223

lordelgin.ca

Tudor Hall

3750 North Bowesville Rd., Ottawa, ON K1V 1B8

613-739-4287

613-739-8589

tudorhall.ca

Doubletree By Hilton Gatineau-Ottawa

1170 Aylmer Rd., Gatineau, QC, J9H 7L3

819-778-0000

819-777-7161

doubletreegatineau.com

30

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Convention Spaces

Ranked by total meeting space.

Mtg space (sq. ft.)

Largest mtg room (sq. ft.)

Number of mtg rooms

Theatre capacity

Reception capacity

Restaurant capacity

Banquet capacity

In-house catering service?

Daily rental rate

Free parking?

Key executive

Sales contact

219,000

90,000

12

N/A

5,000

5,000

5,000

Y

WND

N

Neil Bales

Maxime Laporte

192,000

57,740

28

6,000

6,000

N/A

3,840

Y

WND

N

Nina Kressler

Ursula Belanger

150,000

10,000

149

444

5,000

800

1,200

Y

$95-$600

N

Roland Gordon

Jennifer M. Stewart

42,000

35,000

2

2,800

2,800

N/A

2,800

N

WND

N

Benoit Osborne

Jennifer Bradley

90,000

3,700

200

420

500

887

250

Y

WND

N

Marie-Sylvie Pruneau

WND

70,000

8,640

13

900

1,000

N/A

480

Y

$176-$1,676

Y

Natalie Ollson

Kay Boland

55,000

26,668

12

2,800

4,500

1,750

1,750

Y

$285-$1,350

N

Léo M. Makrakis

André Pelland

51,000

15,866

16

1,600

1,500

140

1,100

Y

$350-$9,250

Y

Alain Miroux

Fabienne Nadeau

50,000

9,800

70

875

1,000

450

500

Y

WND

Y

Kim Coe-Turner

Silvia Marino

44,000

16,587

27

1,800

1,500

200

1,370

Y

$495-$16,200

N

Ross Meredith

Shaddy Shibley

43,000

11,000

37

1,200

1,200

NA

800

Y

WND

Y

Nuala Dinardo

Pamela DiNardo

43,000

11,000

37

1,200

1,000

100

800

Y

Starting at $250

Y

Claudio Dinardo

Pamela Diane DiNardo

40,144

11,760

20

700

1,256

120

848

Y

Starting at $95

N

Mary Baxter

Lisa Barker

36,000

5,886

16

600

800

180

450

Y

$700-$7,000

N

Claude J. Sauvé

Sue Ohlson

36,000

6,500

26

600

600

180

600

Y

$250-$4,000

N

Daniel Laliberte

Markus Fisher

33,821

6,690

12

600

600

180

475

Y

WND

Y

Tosha Rhodenizer

Shelley Carbonetto

33,235

12,925

12

500

1,500

60

600

Y

$600-$4,500

N

Mark O’Neill

Genevieve Mercier

26,000

10,000

17

1,100

1,000

150

900

Y

WND

N

Zubair Siddiqi

Marilyn Power

25,000

4,800

200

300

500

120

500

Y

WND

N

Lise Bourgeois

Josée Lacourse

23,000

17,000

5

300

300

N/A

300

N

$126-$1,050

Y

Darren Patmore

Lisa Kmiel

22,910

5,188

22

450

500

125

370

Y

WND

N

Patrice S. Basille

Mark Nisbett

22,000

9,038

5

231

1,500

N/A

600

Y

$600-$3,500

N

Mark O’Neill

Genevieve Mercier

20,000

7,700

8

220

500

60

240

WND

$800-$3,300

N

Nathalie Boulet

Diane Mongrain

20,000

5,600

8

500

350

110

400

WND

$235-$1,700

Y

Jean-Pierre Benjamin

WND

15,700

6,900

4

2,200

2,400

200

1,920

Y

$1,000-$2,000

N

Nelson J Borges

Lisa Levia

15,658

4,600

32

300

300

90

150

Y

WND

N

Nadine Tremblay

Laura Dufour

15,564

10,000

5

954

500

N/A

N/A

N

$1,500

Y

Allan Sansom

Katie Doyle

15,500

15,500

4

1,500

1,200

N/A

1,150

Y

WND

Y

Zare Kesyan

WND

15,361

6,458

5

500

500

N/A

N/A

N

WND

Y

Caroline Obeid

Sarah Conn

15,040

4,028

12

450

500

140

350

Y

$375-$2,000

N

Michael Lucas

Nathalie Tremblay

14,000

10,500

7

800

800

40

800

Y

$495-$5,000

Y

Sean McGrath

WND

13,440

4,200

20

425

500

350

350

Y

Up to $2,500

Y

Genevieve Dumas

Cindy Gascon

13,000

2,200

15

200

225

160

160

Y

$375-$2,500

N

David O. Smythe

Ann Meelker

12,600

12,000

3

1,650

1,000

N/A

1,000

Y

$500-$2,500

Y

Joe Giammaria

Rosie De Leo

12,000

6,133

11

720

800

150

400

Y

$300-$2,750

Y

George Chaiban

Annie Leveillee

s

om

WND = Would not disclose.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

31

LARGEST MEETING & CONVENTION SPACES 2014 Venue

Address

Phone

Fax

Web

Orchard View Wedding and Conference Centre

6346 Deermeadow Dr., Ottawa, ON K4P 1M9

613-821-2675

613-821-4692

Calabogie Peaks Resort

30 Barrett Chute Rd., Calabogie, ON K0J 1H0

1-800-669-4861

1-877-533-5170 calabogie.com

Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm

2452 York’s Corners Rd., Edwards, ON K0A 1V0

613-821-2751

613-821-5221

stanleysfarm.com

Strathmere

1980 Phelan Rd W., North Gower, ON K0A 2T0

613-489-2409

613-489-2630

strathmere.com

University of Guelph Kemptville Campus

830 Prescott St., Kemptville, ON K0G 1JO

613-258-8336 x 61234

613-258-8384

kemptvillecampus.ca

Sheraton Ottawa Hotel

150 Albert St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5G2

613-238-1500

613-238-8497

sheratonottawa.com

Capital Hill Hotel and Suites

88 Albert St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5E9

613-235-1413

613-235-6047

capitalhill.com

Sala San Marco Banquet & Conference Centre

215 Preston St., Ottawa, ON K1R 7R1

613-238-6063

613-233-3331

salasanmarco.ca

Canadian Tire Centre/Ottawa Senators Hockey Club - Meetings & Banquets

1000 Palladium Dr., Kanata, ON K2V 1A5

613-599-0100

613-599-0105

canadiantirecentre.com

TCC Canada

800-251 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa, ON K1P 5J6

613-566-7000

613-566-7003

tcccanada.com

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

901 Prince of Wales Dr., Ottawa, ON K2C 3J9

613-991-3044

613-993-7923

cafmuseum.techno-science.ca

Four Points by Sheraton Hotel & Conference Centre Gatineau-Ottawa

35 Laurier St., Gatineau, QC J8X 4E9

819-778-6111

819-778-3647

fourpointsgatineau.com

Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre

1315 Prince of Wales Dr., Ottawa, ON K2C 1N2

613-225-8016 x223

613-225-0843

hellenicottawa.ca

Residence Inn by Marriott Ottawa

161 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa, ON K1P 5J2

613-231-2020

613-231-2048

marriottresidenceinnottawa.com

Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport

2400 Alert Rd., Ottawa, ON K1V 1S1

613-288-9001

613-249-8729

ottawaairport.hgi.com

Chimo Hotel

1199 Joseph Cyr St., Ottawa, ON K1J 7T4

613-744-1060

613-744-7845

chimohotel.com

Dow’s Lake Court Conference Centre

865 Carling Ave., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1S 5S8

613-725-3855

613-725-3101

dowslakecourt.com

Villa Lucia Supper Club and Banquet Hall

3430 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K2H 5B1

613-596-1346

613-596-2812

villalucia.com

orchardview.ca

RECEPTION & CONFERENCE FACILITIES Host your next meeting or conference at Carleton University • 40,000 square feet of dedicated meeting and conference space • State-of-the-art 40 seat boardroom overlooking the Rideau Canal • Located minutes from Parliament Hill and the Ottawa International Airport (YOW) • Full-service catering and audiovisual services

Enjoy the wealth of experience and truly attentive service at Tudor Hall, and the convenience of ample free parking.

Elegant ballrooms offer 12,000 square feet of event space and provide the perfect setting for your corporate occasions and unforgettable celebrations for up to 1,000 guests.

• Over 100 classrooms and multimedia theatres CONTACT US TODAY: Carleton University Conference Services 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON Canada K1S 5B6 Tel: 613.520.5611 Email: meet@carleton.ca Web: www.carleton.ca/conferenceservices

32

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

3750 North Bowesville Road at Riverside and Uplands, Ottawa, K1V 1B8 www.tudorhall.ca 613.739.4287 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

LARGEST MEETING & CONVENTION SPACES 2014 Mtg space (sq. ft.)

Largest mtg room (sq. ft.)

Number of mtg rooms

Theatre capacity

Reception capacity

Restaurant capacity

Banquet capacity

In-house catering service?

Daily rental rate

Free parking?

Key executive

Sales contact

11,300

5,600

7

600

500

N/A

450

Y

$150-$1,500

Y

Gino Milito

Ruth Kehoe

10,078

3,465

5

250

250

50-60

200

Y

$150-$700

Y

Michael Strauss

Maggie Fairfield

10,000

6,000

4

600

600

400

400

Y

WND

Y

Earl Stanley

Susan Faith-Lecoupe

10,000

2,800

8

250

600

N/A

500

Y

$300-$650

Y

Glenna Camposarcone Laura Kelly

10,000

7,200

40

220

500

N/A

600

Y

$50-$1,500

Y

Heather Davis

WND

9,700

2,720

10

275

300

85

230

Y

$375-$1,350

N

Robert Roy

Mike Abou-Abssi

9,614

2,650

10

140

200

70

150

Y

WND

N

Hume Rogers

Sherri Macki

9,500

8,000

3

1,000

800

N/A

600

Y

WND

Y

Tony Zacconi

Elena Morrison

9,020

7,350

6

450

500

350

N/A

Y

$450-$1,200

N

WND

Karen Speers

8,175

1,200

14

100

40

40

40

Y

$180

N

Kelly Freeman

Sean Cochrane

8,149

2,320

6

150

175

N/A

100

N

$400-$3,000

N

Kerry-Leigh Burchill

WND

8,000

2,700

10

150

160

45

120

Y

$350-$800

N

Jason Trottier

Denise Breau

7,750

6,000

2

500

750

N/A

500

WND

WND

Y

Costa Koskoletos

WND

7,700

2,580

9

200

220

120

120

Y

$250-$1,500

N

N. Ravi

Denise Breau

7,200

4,800

12

400

400

80

325

Y

$250-$2,500

Y

Franco Falcucci

Alison Hunter

7,100

2,600

13

225

300

92

200

Y

$250-$925

Y

Jean-Pierre Benjamin

Lucy Ramos

7,000

2,434

7

100

75

150

N/A

Y

$300-$1,500

N

WND

Nancy Bradshaw

7,000

5,000

2

250

100

250

250

WND

WND

WND

Lucia Di Franco

Claudia Juarez WND = Would not disclose.

Looking for a unique venue?

FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING OR EVENT, WE OFFER: • A variety of rooms to accommodate up to 300 people • Complete catering services featuring healthy, homemade, local products • A turnkey service for all your meeting needs including audiovisual requirements, room setup and much more • Accommodation on campus (from May 1 to August 20, 2015) • On-site parking All this and more, offered in an academic setting, a stone’s throw from the Parliament Buildings, the Rideau Canal and the Byward Market.

For more information, contact us today at 613-236-1393 ext. 2311

ustpaul.ca | 223 Main Street, Ottawa ON Saint Paul University is the founding college of the University of Ottawa (1848), with which it has been academically federated since 1965.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

33

LARGEST MEETING & CONVENTION SPACES 2014 Venue

Address

Phone

Fax

Web

Quality Inn and Suites

111 Bellehumeur St., Gatineau, QC J8T 6K5

819-568-5252

819-568-0753

qualityinnandsuitesgatineau.ca

Innovative Professional Offices

200-440 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa, ON K1R 7X6

613-232-1110

613-782-2228

innovativeprofessionaloffices.com

Best Western Plus Victoria Park Suites

131 Laurier St., Ottawa, ON K2P 2M2

613-567-7275

613-567-1161

victoriapark.com

Canada Aviation and Space Museum

11 Aviation Pkwy., Ottawa, ON K1G 5A3

613-991-6064

613-990-3655

aviation.technomuses.ca

International Development Research Centre

150 Kent St., Ottawa, ON K1P 0B2

613-696-2620

613-567-4349

idrc.ca

Anderson Links Golf Club

4175 Anderson Rd., Ottawa, ON KOA 1K0

613-822-9477

613-822-9440

andersonlinks.com

Southway Hotel & Conference Centre

2431 Bank St., Ottawa, ON K1V 8R9

613-737-0811

613-737-3207

southway.com

Canada Science and Technology Museum

1867 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON K1G 5A3

613-991-6064

613-990-3655

sciencetech.technomuses.ca

Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa Downtown

350 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, ON K1N 7E9

613-241-1000

613-241-4804

marriottcourtyardottawa.com

Ramada Plaza Manoir du Casino

75 D’Edmonton St., Gatineau, QC J8Y 6W9

819-777-7538

819-777-6473

ramadaplaza-gatineau.com

Best Western Plus Ottawa/Kanata Hotel and Conference Centre

1876 Robertson Rd., Ottawa, ON K2H 5B8

613-828-2744

613-596-4742

bestwesternplusottawa.com

Best Western Plus Gatineau-Ottawa

131 rue Laurier, Gatineau, QC J8X 3W3

819-770-8550

819-770-9705

bestwesterngatineau.ca

Albert at Bay Suite Hotel

435 Albert St., Ottawa, ON K1R 7X4

613-238-8858

613-238-1433

albertatbay.com

Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa Kanata

101 Kanata Ave., Kanata, ON K2T 1E6

613-271-3057

613-271-3060

hisottawa.ca

Wakefield Mill Hotel & Spa

60 Mill Rd., Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0

819-459-1838

819-459-1697

wakefieldmill.com

My Caterer

2525 Lancaster Rd., Ottawa, ON K1B 4L5

613-260-1432

613-260-1433

mycaterer.ca

Extended Stay Canada, Ottawa Downtown

141 Cooper St., Ottawa, ON K2P 0E8

613-236-7500

613-563-2836

extendedstayamerica.com

The Meadows Golf and Country Club

4335 Hawthorne Rd., Ottawa, ON K1G 3N4

613-822-2582

613-822-6092

themeadowsgolf.com

Novotel Ottawa

33 Nicholas St., Ottawa, ON K1N 9M7

613-230-3033

613-760-4767

novotelottawa.com

Hotel Indigo Ottawa

123 Metcalfe St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5L9

613-231-6555

613-231-7555

ottawadowntownhotel.com

La Grange Country Inn

37 Rockhurst Rd., Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0

819-459-3939

819-459-4411

lagrangecountryinn.com

Prinzo Fine Catering

85 O’Connor St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5M6

613-565-1328

N/A

prinzo.ca

Learning Tree International

2300-160 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON K2P 2N8

613-237-0098

613-237-4588

learningtree.ca

Cartier Place Suite Hotel

180 Cooper St., Ottawa, ON K2P 2L5

613-236-5000

613-238-3842

suitedreams.com

Best Western Plus Ottawa City Centre

1274 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K8

613-728-1951

613-728-1955

ottawabestwestern.com

The Irving Greenberg Centre

1233 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON K1Y 0G7

613-236-5192

613-232-2075

gctc.ca

Les Suites Hotel, Ottawa

130 Besserer St., Ottawa, ON K1N 9M9

613-232-2000

613-232-1242

les-suites.com

Russell Curling Club

1076 Concession St., Russell, ON K4R 1A2

613-445-2829

N/A

russellcurlingclub.com

The Business Inn

180 MacLaren St., Ottawa, ON K2P 0L3

613-232-1121

613-232-8143

thebusinessinn.com

La Grange de la Gatineau

80 Summer Rd., Cantley, QC J8V 3J3

819-827-3164

N/A

grange.ca

ARC The.Hotel

140 Slater St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5H6

613-238-2888

613-235-8421

arcthehotel.com

Radisson Hotel Ottawa Parliament Hill

402 Queen St., Ottawa, ON K1R 5A7

613-236-1133

613-236-2317

radisson.com/ottawa.ca

Aquatopia Water Garden Conservatory

2710 March Rd., Carp, ON K0A 1L0

613-225-7663

N/A

aquatopiaconservatory.com

Econiche House

32 River Rd., Cantley, QC J8V 3A1

819-827-0086

N/A

econichehouse.com

Days Inn Downtown Ottawa

319 Rideau St., Ottawa, ON K1N 5Y4

613-789-5555

613-789-6196

daysinn.ca

Tulips & Maple

1980 Merivale Rd., Ottawa, ON K2G 1G4

613-723-7103

613-723-5430

tulipsandmaple.com

Nepean Sailing Club

3259 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K2H 1A6

613-829-6462

613-828-4636

nsc.ca

Ottawa Embassy Hotel and Suites

25 Cartier St., Ottawa, ON K2P 1J2

613-237-2111

613-563-1353

ottawaembassy.com

Monterey Hotel

2259 Prince of Wales Dr., Ottawa, ON K2E 6Z8

613-288-3500

613-226-3813

monterey.ca

Days Inn Ottawa West

350 Moodie Dr., Ottawa, ON, K2H 8G3

613-726-1717

613-726-1462

daysinnottawawest.com

Travelodge Ottawa East

1486 Innes Rd., Ottawa, ON K1B 3V5

613-745-1133

613-745-7380

ottawatravelodge.com

34

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

LARGEST MEETING & CONVENTION SPACES 2014 Mtg space (sq. ft.)

Largest mtg room (sq. ft.)

Number of mtg rooms

Theatre capacity

Reception capacity

Restaurant capacity

Banquet capacity

In-house catering service?

Daily rental rate

Free parking?

Key executive

Sales contact

6,918

3,458

12

350

400

175

300

Y

$145-$1,000

Y

Nicole de Sampaio

Roxane Rollin

6,300

1,200

8

30

35

N/A

N/A

Y

$200-$595

N

Alana McMurtry

Alison Weir

6,000

2,000

7

160

130

N/A

150

Y

$250-$2,000

N

John Cosentino

Roger MacKinnon

6,000

5,000

7

250

1,200

N/A

550

Y

$300-$3,600

N

Karoline Klug

WND

5,500

3,300

7

250

250

N/A

200

Y

$275-$1,175

N

Dawn Lucas

Kathrine Cyr

5,480

2,000

5

150

230

230

230

Y

WND

Y

Martin Patterson

Anu De Angelis

5,400

2,700

8

180

225

186

186

Y

WND

Y

Stephen Zlepnig

Jo-Anne Saikaley Sparkes

5,000

5,000

5

264

500

N/A

225

Y

$300-$2,200

Y

Joanne Soulard

Karoline Klug

5,000

3,400

9

350

400

72

250

Y

$150-$1,500

N

Nancy Champagne

Denise Breau

5,000

2,460

9

300

350

200

160

Y

$200-$500

Y

Christine Cadieux

Marie Josee Boyd

4,999

2,000

7

190

200

90

170

Y

WND

Y

Fayez Thawer

Safiq

4,511

3,034

5

300

225

70

200

Y

$200-$900

Y

Martin Fogarty

Natahlie Sarthou

4,264

3,200

9

300

220

200

200

Y

$250-$2,000

N

John Cosentino

Roger MacKinnon

4,127

2,784

7

240

350

150

150

Y

$295-$1,100

Y

Peter Wilson

Alana Haining

4,056

1,600

6

80

120

120

80

Y

$250-$650

Y

Robert Milling

Brigitte Emond

4,000

3,000

4

200

350

200

200

Y

$200

Y

Yasin Altug

Met Yurtcu

3,673

2,016

3

140

150

N/A

100

Y

$425-$1,250

N

Alexandra Bruneau

Sean Taylor

3,600

2,000

2

N/A

320

160

320

Y

$500-$1,500

Y

WND

WND

3,465

1,806

6

160

215

110

110

Y

$200-$1200

N

Rafael Ballester

Kimberly Wilson

3,000

1,277

4

130

140

70

100

Y

$200-$750

N

Kim Jones

Denise Breau

3,000

1,200

3

60

60

N/A

60

Y

$350-$500

Y

Adam Shapero

3,000

3,000

1

N/A

208

N/A

150

Y

$0

N

Victor Arkulinsky

2,964

616

8

0

24

N/A

Y

$725-$1,250

N

2,414

1,500

5

150

195

88

120

Y

$175-$750

N

Heidi C. Webster

Lily A. Cazeau

2,394

1,344

4

160

160

110

120

Y

$170-$480

Y

Darren Ryan

Darren Ryan

2,350

1,200

2

262

300

70

50

Y

$150-$500

Y

Hugh Neilson

2,235

858

3

60

60

48

48

Y

WND

N

Chris Pierce

Mike Di Cioccio

2,200

1,300

2

N/A

200

N/A

150

N

$150-$400

Y

Lucy Ladouceur

Lucy Ladoucuer

1,990

785

3

50

80

380

100

Y

$250

N

Barrett Karam

Julie Belanger

1,782

1,200

5

100

100

80

80

Y

WND

Y

Sandra Fitzgibbon

Geneviève Viau

1,670

792

3

30

350

35

60

Y

$500

N

Cindy McLong

Dean Lake

1,610

670

3

80

80

100

40

Y

$345-$625

N

Jenna MacLeod

Oscar Rodriguez

1,500

WND

WND

N/A

150

N/A

150

N

WND

Y

Melissa Brunet

WND

1,500

750

3

60

75

N/A

100

Y

WND

Y

Nancy Bailey

Rita Berthiaume

1,440

610

2

60

45

30

n/a

N

$200-$250

N

Fayez Thawer

Dmitriy Mosiychuk

1,400

1,200

2

72

100

N/A

70

Y

WND

Y

Erin Loney

WND

1,200

1,200

1

140

140

150

130

Y

$420-$560

Y

Gene Bruce

Julie Laframboise

936

936

1

50

35

50

50

Y

$250

N

Colin Morrison

Frazer Berry

860

625

3

50

70

120

150

Y

$150-$2,500

Y

George Chaiban

Divine Mwimba

528

528

1

30

30

30

30

Y

$225

Y

Embrett I. Rose

Nimroz Thawer

500

500

1

30

24

75

24

WND

$200-$275

Y

Jocelyn Brunet

WND

Inese Arkulinska Lauren Spooner

WND = Would not disclose.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

35

Bread, butter and champions willing to stand up Ottawa Tourism banks region’s convention future on building partnerships in niche markets

BY LEO VALIQUETTE

Bid more, win more, host more – it’s become a mantra of the City of Ottawa in its efforts to bring more world-class events to the nation’s capital.

But while the focus may often be on big sporting events, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup or the Olympic curling trials, Ottawa’s “bread and butter” in fact lies with meetings and conventions.

These may not get big headlines, but they do fill local venues and drive visitors to local businesses, said Glenn Duncan, senior vice-president at Ottawa Tourism.

In a highly competitive North American market, where cities are all vying to be the destination of choice, a scattergun approach to marketing and promotion to attract events just doesn’t cut it anymore.

“We must take a narrow, strategic

36

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

look at each opportunity,” Mr. Duncan said. “This is about developing relationships and deciding which opportunities represent the best use of our available resources.”

Part of that process is finding local champions — individuals within an organization who are willing to go to bat for Ottawa to bring its events here.

Tapping into Ottawa’s high-tech rep with IEEE

Take, for example, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This non-profit professional organization has about 440,000 members worldwide. This includes about 17,000 in Canada and 2,200 in its Ottawa Section, which also includes Gatineau.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Most of the IEEE’s members are “engineers, scientists and researchers who play a role here in the high-tech industry, government and academia,” said Wahab Almuhtadi, a professor in Algonquin College’s School of Advanced Technology and an active member of IEEE’s Ottawa section.

The IEEE is divided into 39 technical societies that represent specialized fields of interest. Nineteen of these societies have chapters within the Ottawa Section.

The Ottawa Section itself is one of the most active. This creates a wealth of opportunities for Ottawa to not only host IEEE Ottawa Section events, but to work with local contacts such as Mr. Almuhtadi to bring other national and international IEEE events to the nation’s capital.

In fact, the IEEE Ottawa Section has signed an MOU with Ottawa Tourism, the Shaw Centre and area businesses to work together for this purpose.

“Because we are Ottawa citizens, and we would like to make Ottawa grow, that’s why we are working as one team,” said Mr. Almuhtadi. “Ottawa is an international hub. It’s an easy place for delegates and their families to come and spend time.”

In 2012, after a four-year process, this joint effort won the competition to host in Ottawa the IEEE International Conference on Communications. The same conference is taking place this year in London. The 2012 event brought 3,200 delegates to Ottawa, which generated $20 million in local economic activity.

In May, Ottawa will play host to another international IEEE event that Mr. Almuhtadi co-chairs, the 2015 International Symposium on Integrated Network Management. While not a large event it is nonetheless a prestigious one, he said, featuring 500 of the world’s leaders in network virtualization, cloud computing and the Internet of Things.

Other IEEE events are on the calendar for Ottawa through next year.

“This has been a dynamic and rewarding relationship,” said Mr. Almuhtadi. “It’s a fantastic team with a lot of vision.”

Levering economic alignment

“The IEEE represents a gold mine of opportunities we really haven’t tapped into,” said Mr. Duncan. “This is the future of the convention industry – building relationships with organizations that will partner Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

37

with us by focusing on niche industries that align with our local economy. A big part of that is doing a better job of identifying the people with whom we need to work, like Wahab (Almuhtadi).”

Lesley Mackay, director of convention sales at Ottawa Tourism, agreed.

“When you are looking at these vertical markets, we have to help decision makers in different areas of expertise such as engineering or health care understand we are here to help them bring their event to our city,” she said. “At Ottawa Tourism, we offer that comprehensive service that includes putting together bid documentation, presentations and all the rest of it.”

Finding champions

The challenge is that local representatives of the various industry and professional associations and international organizations that could be hosting events in the capital are not attuned to how Ottawa Tourism and its partners can help, said Ms. Mackay.

To help spread the message, Ottawa Tourism has created the Capital Host Club. This is an exclusive group of local members of national and international organizations, working with Ottawa Tourism and its partners to bring their annual events to the city.

“We need to get our message out and ask these people to put up their hands in their organizations about bringing their next AGM or conference to our city,” Ms. Mackay said. “We need the whole community to think that way to help bring more business here.”

38

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2015

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

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Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning