New Stittsville proposed high-rise blasted by residents
Opponents say the location of the proposed project could be 'dangerous' due to a lack of proper infrastructure.
By Sadeen Mohsen, Ottawa Citizen
Published Aug 21, 2025 | Last updated 1 hour ago
Almost a year after Ottawa’s planning and housing committee approved what could become the first high-rise tower for Stittsville, local residents are gearing up to fight a newly proposed development.
Located on Hazeldean Road and Savage Drive, the development would consist of a 19-storey tower, a 25-storey tower and a four-storey apartment building with ground-floor retail. It would include up to 456 residential units, 228 underground parking spots and four surface ground parking spaces.
Some residents of the suburban neighbourhood oppose the new project, citing traffic concerns and a lack of transit infrastructure.
Bill Gale, who’s lived in Stittsville since 1993, says the intersection where the development would stand would be “dangerous” for residents. As Savage Drive begins to intersect with Hazeldean Road, it turns into a sharp corner, which neighbours have dubbed “the pits.”
“It’s a blind corner,” he said. “You’re going to have tons of accidents.”
There is no parking allowed along the street leading to and from that corner and no sidewalks along Savage Drive. Hazeldean Road, a busy four-lane roadway, is also difficult to turn onto from Savage Drive since there are no traffic signals at the intersection.
“I wouldn’t build it,” Gale said. “It doesn’t fit the tranquility of the area.”
Tanya Hein, a volunteer and former president of the Stittsville Village Association, said local residents are looking for improved public services before drastic neighbourhood changes.
“We get a lot of promises and big goals but the follow through has really been lacking,” Hein said. “We’re building based on expectations that don’t come with a lot of follow through.”
Residents have launched an online petition opposing the project, garnering almost 600 signatures, as of Thursday afternoon.
“Stittsville has long been a place for those seeking a peaceful and friendly environment,” the petition reads. “Statistics show that massive developments such as these can lead to increased congestion, noise and light pollution, and even a rise in crime rates.
“They often lead to unintended environmental consequences, affecting local wildlife and green spaces that contribute to the well-being of all residents.”
The other high-rise development approved for Stittsville by the planning and housing committee is located at 6310 and 6320 Hazeldean Rd., near Carp Road. That development would include a 21-storey tower and 431 residential units.
In an Aug. 6 information meeting with 75 residents in attendance, Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower said they were keeping notes of Savage Drive residents’ concerns to compile for the applicant team.
He said he met with the group behind the project in early July and suggested to hold the meeting so residents could provide feedback to the developer, Hazeldean Heights.
“This proposal has not been formally submitted to city staff,” Gower said. “They have done a pre-consultation.”
When reached days after the meeting, Gower declined to comment further on the proposed project.
In 2024, Gower voted against the development at the intersection of Hazeldean Road and Carp Road.
Hein said the neighbourhood wants a “functional community,” which includes additional parking options for residents and better public transit.
“The fabric of the community is changing,” she said. “What we’d like to see is a little more gentle intensification, that missing middle, rather than going from bungalows to super high rises.
“That’s a matter of if we have the proper services that can accommodate that kind of development.”
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/new-high-rise-development-stittsville?itm_source=index
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