Proposed high-rise for Montreal Road has some residents fearing gentrification
By Jennifer McIntosh, Ottawa East News
Nov 11, 2016
Could Vanier be the next Hintonburg? That was the question on the minds of many presenters who spoke out against a planned development that would include 524 units at 112 Montreal Rd. and 314 Gardner St.
Currently there’s a motel complex on the site.
DCR Phoenix presented their plans at the Nov. 8 planning committee meeting.
The development will include two 18-storey buildings, a 15-storey building and a 13-storey building. Low rise buildings will include a six-storey mixed use building on Montreal Road and a seven-storey residential building on Gardner Street.
Chris Greenshields, a resident who spoke against the development, said the initial public consultations showed a four-storey building.
“Four storeys would be better than seven,” he said.
Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury said he has considered that the drop from the high rises to the single-family homes on Palace Street would be jarring. He also had some concerns about the ability of the Montreal Road and Vanier Parkway intersection to be able to handle the traffic from a 524-unit development.
“In general, the access to the site is problematic,” he said.
As far as the delegations were concerned, it was a tale of two Vaniers – one with a vision and one that has long been neglected by the city.
Gordon Morrison, said the right development along Montreal Road could set the stage for a Vanier renaissance, but it has to be a balance.
“It has to be right,” he said, adding you lose the sense of community in a high rise.
“Once you’re on the sixth floor, you might as well be in New Delhi,” he said.
Jamie Kwong, executive director of Quartier Vanier – the local business improvement area – said that this development could help to animate Montreal Road.
“We want to animate the main street,” she said.
Several residents were concerned about the capacity of the intersection to handle the increased population, especially since Vanier Parkway can get very clogged.
“I think the concerns around transportation can be mitigated,” Kwong said, adding that other modes of transportation can be explored.
Other residents expressed concern about the capacity of the bus route 12 which is the nearest to the development.
Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said that development of the main street in his ward has been “mostly positive,” but asked Kwong if she thought the busy corner could handle the impacts from the development.
Beacon-Hill Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney said he’s been hearing about the changes and conversations around renewal in Vanier.
But resident Paul Drouin didn’t agree.
Drouin, who wants to open up shop in Vanier, said there needs to be a vision for the east end neighbourhood. He said developments like the one proposed would gentrify Vanier and turn it into another Hintonburg or Mechanicsville.
“I could show you pawn shops and crack houses,” steps from that building,” he said.
The application was approved by committee, but will still require a final vote from council.
Leiper dissented. He said he felt that the developer was building a lot denser without the softer considerations required, like pools or recreation facilities.
“I am concerned that the local recreation facilities won’t be able to handle the pressure of the new residents,” he said.
Jennifer McIntosh is the political reporter for Metroland Media¹s Ottawa papers. She can be reached at
[email protected].
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-...s-some-residents-fearing-gentrification/
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