A New Gathering Place Opens at the Aylmer Marina

Drazen Seslija and Jude Osmond

A new gathering place officially opened at the Aylmer Marina on Thursday, July 30. Inaugurated on Friday at the Robert-Middlemiss Pavilion, L’Éphémère, Guinguette Marina d’Aylmer offers a welcoming space where residents and visitors can enjoy the Ottawa River while experiencing a program that showcases local businesses and organizations.

Conceived as a temporary project, L’Éphémère will operate for eight months, through March 2027. The initiative aims to breathe new life into this iconic site by experimenting with different uses that could inspire future permanent projects.

Vincent Roy, municipal councillor for the Aylmer District, mentioned it was important to get the restaurant space at the Pavilion Robert-Middlemiss back up and running, as it is one of Aylmer's most popular zones for the summer season. "We quickly put ourselves in innovation and citizen mode to get this space opened," Roy said.

The concept is inspired by guinguettes -- public spaces where people gather to eat, socialize, and enjoy activities in a relaxed atmosphere. At the Aylmer Marina, the terrace is open to everyone free of charge, with no minimum purchase required. Visitors can come to admire the scenery, relax, or even bring their own food for a picnic by the water.

Over the coming months, cafés, restaurants, microbreweries, shops, and community organizations will take turns setting up pop-up shops and stalls. A varied program of cultural, musical, and family-friendly events will also liven up the area.

The project is the result of a collaboration between the City of Gatineau, the Association of Professionals, Industrialists, and Merchants of Aylmer (APICA), the Old Aylmer Corporation, Mozaïka-Lab, and Noël dans le Vieux-Aylmer. Several community volunteers are also helping with organization, welcoming visitors, and ensuring the smooth operation of the site.

Nathalie Lavergne, president of APICA, told the Bulletin that they split up all the tasks within a certain timeframe to maximize the speed of the process so they can open the space as fast as possible. "It was a super quick project," she said.

The name L’Éphémère refers to the temporary nature of this event but also evokes mayflies, the aquatic insects found near the Ottawa River. The terrace is open Thursday through Saturday from 11:30 am to 10 pm, and Sunday from 11:30 am to 9 pm. Since the participating businesses change from week to week, the food offerings and activities will vary from day to day.

The opening weekend, August 1 and 2, set the tone for the summer program. Visitors enjoyed culinary offerings from the Lab Culinaire, Monsieur Limonade, the Pêle-Mêle food truck, and Ras L’Bol, among others. Musical performances, including one by Aylmer-based DJ BEAR (Alexis Baron), rounded out the experience.

The organizers invite residents to check the schedule regularly to discover the various businesses, artists, and organizations that will be taking part in this experience. They are also calling for volunteers and businesses interested in contributing to the project.

"An event like this tells people that Old Aylmer is a hotspot; it permits people to go to the Marina, where they can enjoy the pump track and the Guinguette, as it gives back some life to the sector," Lavergne said.

By breathing new life into this space located in the heart of the marina, L'Éphémère aims to become a new gathering place where residents, boaters, and visitors can fully enjoy one of the most beautiful views in the Aylmer area.