The Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre

Built in 1961, the Pickard Centre (originally the Green's Creek Pollution Control Center) was renamed the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre following Mr. Pickard's retirement as Commissioner of Works in the former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. Mr. Pickard was instrumental in the initiation of the expansion and upgrade project at the Centre, which is one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in Canada. Located on a 60-hectare (150 acre) area of land, the Pickard Centre treats domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater before returning the treated water to the Ottawa River. Between 1988 and 1993, the primary treatment facility was upgraded and a secondary treatment process and biosolids processing facilities were added. This expansion increased the capacity and nearly doubled the efficiency of the plant. As a result, the Pickard Centre now removes more than 90 percent of pollutants from the influent water.

The Centre has been designated to meet the City's wastewater-treatment requirements until the year 2011. The 1997 Wastewater Master Plan addresses requirements for further expansion. Staff at the Centre adhere to the mission: to provide leadership in the protection of the water environment, and deliver cost-effective wastewater management to the community.