A master plan to turn surplus federal land in south-central Ottawa into a bustling community has been introduced to residents.
The plan envisions turning the Confederation Heights area — with Canada Post’s headquarters at its heart — into a campus with high-density housing, parks, retail space, stronger transit infrastructure and an upgraded RA Centre recreation complex.
The plan has been in the works since 2021 and looks ahead to a finish line in the 2040s, says the Canada Lands Company, the federal agency that’s preparing the surplus land for sale.
The area is bordered by Vincent Massey Park, Hog’s Back Park, the Rideau River and Sawmill Creek. It includes the Mooney’s Bay LRT station and major arterial roads, such as Bronson Avenue, criss-crossing the area.
The land is also home to five modernist buildings with heritage status, including 1500 Bronson Ave., the CBC’s former headquarters designed by architect David Gordon McKinstry.
Faced with the master plan’s many nuances, residents at a recent public meeting had an appetite to better understand the proposals on housing, transit and the environment.
To River Ward resident, Rodrigo Barbosa, the plan is ambitious.
“It’s good for the modernization of city services and spaces for communities,” Barbosa said. He added that he believes the project has to be “affordable and liveable for families.”
The master plan outlines six districts of high, medium and low-density housing.
For example, the Brookfield District will have the most residential units. The area is the southernmost portion of land, squished between Heron and Brookfield roads. It may host a 40-storey apartment building, a 30-storey apartment building and other mixed-use housing. The Brookfield District will be one of the highest density areas because of its proximity to a proposed bus transitway along Heron Road.
Barbosa said he wants units with many bedrooms and accessible amenities, adding he doesn’t want them to just be “matchboxes.”
“The city needs to put some clauses for developments to make sure it’s for families and not for real estate speculators,” he said. What the housing will look like is uncertain as no private developer has stepped in yet.
The campus could welcome 15,000 to 16,000 new residential units and have a population of more than 22,000 people, said Katherine Constantine, CLC’s senior director of real estate. Constantine says 20 per cent of the units will be affordable.
Dan Kaplansky said he wishes shovels were in the ground yesterday, but he is also just happy the plan is making a concerted effort to spotlight transit.
“I do like the massive focus that’s not on cars,” he said. “We need to force more people out of their cars; force them to be uncomfortable.”
The master plan has a vision to transform Confederation Heights from a car-centric place to an accessible campus that prioritizes the well-being of people. The number of bus stops will double along Heron, Data Centre and Brookfield roads with the addition of the bus transitway.
The new transitway would run along Heron Road connecting to the Mooney’s Bay LRT stop.
A web of designated bike lanes and pathways will connect the denser districts, while barrier free pedestrian underpasses are proposed near the O-Train Line 2 tracks.
Diana Scarlett, another resident of River Ward, said she’s happy the master plan is seriously considering the environment.
“I’m thankful that this is intensification that will maintain or add greenspace,” she said. “They are planning for these greenspaces, like walkway corridors. So, it’s nice to see.”
The master plan highlights nine additional municipal parks that weave through each of the districts and lead to the five heritage buildings.
This heritage greenway is “‘the soul’ of the future community,” according to the master plan.
Through multi-use pathways and pedestrian underpasses, a pedestrian could walk from Hog’s Back Park and to a renewed RA Centre.
Bruce Miller, the vice-chair of the RA Centre, said he’s happy the multiuse facility could get a facelift. Miller added he just wants to make sure the recreation complex keeps all its diverse programs.
“I want to know what’s inside the building,” Miller said. “I would want many of the activities we currently do, because I think that beats a need that’s not met by city facilities.”
It’s an active conversation he’s having with some of his colleagues, too
The city will look at the finalized master plan at a planning and housing committee in May.
