City council approved a zoning amendment Wednesday that would allow two mid-rise residential buildings to be constructed next to the Boys and Girls Club facility in the Heron Gate neighbourhood.
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City council approved a zoning amendment Wednesday that would allow two mid-rise residential buildings to be constructed next to the Boys and Girls Club facility in the Heron Gate neighbourhood.
According to a report from staff, the city is looking to dispose of land at 1770 Heatherington Rd. and wants to rezone the property to allow residential buildings of up to six storeys in a bid to create more affordable housing.
The city is working with non-profit housing provider Ottawa Community Housing on a proposal to build two four-storey buildings with a total of 90 units on either side of the existing Boys and Girls Club Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse. The recreational facility is the only building on the otherwise vacant 3.2-hectare site.
The mid-rise buildings are part of a larger development proposal for the site, which could include townhouses and semi-detached dwellings, creating a total of 158 new housing units, as well as a park.
The development would also include two parking lots, with nine and 25 parking spaces respectively for residents.
The site is located within a residential subdivision off Walkley Road, surrounded by single-family homes and other mid-rise apartment buildings.
Directly north of the site are a variety of commercial uses, including restaurants, a salon and a DriveTest centre. Further north across Walkley Road is a commercial shopping area that includes restaurants, a grocery store, a bank and furniture store.
Construction is estimated to begin in spring 2027.
In April, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the development would be one of eight housing projects in Ottawa that would proceed under the Build Canada Homes program.
That announcement came a day after Ottawa city council approved the municipality’s $250-million portion of the $400-million agreement that was reached with the federal government and first announced in December, with the goal to build up to 3,000 mixed-income and affordable housing units in the capital starting this year.
For its part, the city will exempt projects that fall under the agreement from development charges and community benefits charges, as well as waive collection of cash-in-lieu of parkland charges, building permit fees and planning fees, while also granting a property tax exemption for a period of 75 years for the units designated as a municipal housing facility.
Projects under the agreement will prioritize modern methods of construction and follow a “Buy Canadian” approach to strengthen local supply chains, support Canadian materials and speed delivery. The projects will be led by a range of partners, including non-profit housing providers and community organizations.
With files from Marissa Galko
