By Stephanie Lewis
Centretown residents fear that a proposed 20-storey building on the site of the former Ottawa Board of Education on Gilmour Street would cast a huge shadow and block the sun from the homes that surround it.
Ashcroft Homes, the development company that unveiled its proposal at a public meeting earlier this month, is also seeking to amend a city bylaw that limits the height of buildings in the area to 18m, or about seven storeys high.
“I’ve seen many applications for rezoning but this is the most exaggerated one I’ve seen in my entire life,” says Alistair Ross, a former architect who lives across the street from the site.
The proposed building will have a three-floor underground parking garage, one floor of retail space, three floors of commercial office space and 16 floors of apartments.
Patricia Finn, who lives across the street from the site of the proposed new building, says she was initially drawn to her apartment because of the amount of light it received.
“I bought an apartment on the south side of my building in order to get the sunlight and now I’ll never see it again,” Finn told the meeting of about 100 people.
She is not the only one who is upset about losing the sun.
Cathy Bonnell lives in the same building as Finn and calls her balcony her cottage because it’s so sunny.
She says she would be very unhappy living where she is if this building gets approved.
“I would never have bought a condo in this area if I had known that a building like this one would be there.”
John Schioler, an area resident, says he did a lot of soul-searching before choosing to move into the neighbourhood.
Before he made his final decision three years ago, he was promised that no buildings could be built any higher than 18m in the heritage district.
“Were these assurances worth nothing?” Schioler asks.
Janine Debanné, who is not happy about the 20-storey building, says she realizes that the city is badly in need of rental space.
Dennis Gratton, the planner for Ashcroft Homes who presented the plan at the public meeting, feels that this building is just what the neighbourhood needs.
“This building promotes the revitalization of Centretown,” says Gratton.
He believes it will draw more people into the core and make it more profitable for other developers to build in the area.
David Choo, president of Ashcroft Homes, says he understands that the community has reservations.
“Change is always difficult.”
However, he does believe that tall buildings like the proposed one will become more common as the city grows.
“If the size of the city doubles in the next 20 years, buildings such as these will be an important part.”
Before the building plan can be approved, it must first pass the issue resolution stage, after which a proposal will be submitted to a planning committee.
The committee will then bring the proposal to city council, which has final say over whether or not the building is approved.
Somerset Ward Coun. Elisabeth Arnold insists the community’s concerns will be taken into consideration.
“I would encourage people to put their comments and concerns in writing and to send them to me,” she says.
“I will make sure they are incorporated in the reports that are put forward.”