Ottawa police removed a seemingly suspicious object from the parking lot of the Jewish Community Centre on Friday afternoon.

The discovery by security staff at about 4 p.m. caused the parking lot to be shut down, leaving some patrons unable to access their vehicles, and some pedestrians redirected away from the scene. Adjacent Kerr Avenue was also closed for about 90 minutes, blocking access to the busy centre.

The parking lot is part of a complex of community services on Nadolny Sachs Private — including a long-term care home and a school — near the corner of Broadview and Carling Avenues.

As police waited for the bomb disposal unit to arrive, precautions were taken inside Hillel Lodge, the long-term care home, with some residents moved away from the section of the building nearest the hazard point.

By 6 p.m., the incident was over. Staff at the centre said the package or object had been taken away by police and an all-clear was declared. About two hours later, police posted a message on social media saying the removed item had been deemed “non-suspicious.”

Despite being what appeared to be a false alarm, staff at the centre said the incident was handled according to established security protocols.