CCA encourages greater density, but worries about lack of overall planning
210 Gloucester Street, Suite 101
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2K4
May 28, 2025
Re: Secondary plan amendments
Royce Fu
Manager, Policy Planning, City of Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON
K1P 1J1
Dear Mr. Fu,
We write in regard of the proposed amendments to the Central and East Downtown Core Secondary Plan.
The Centretown Community Association (CCA) believes greater density is necessary and does not object to the increases in heights per se. However, we are concerned about the lack of planning to accommodate greater density.
We are dismayed to hear of far higher densities in the core, but with no talk of increasing green spaces and the amenities that must accommodate greater density.
The City’s planners seem to work in silos. The people who talk to us about greater housing density will not speak of increases in parks, green space, schools, urban canopy, or the elements of the 15-minute neighbourhood.
Greater density must be accompanied by planning for the elements to make the city’s core liveable.
As well, we hope the new height restrictions will be enforced. At present, it is customary for developers to apply to exceed height restrictions, making a mockery of them. The height maximums should command respect; exceptions must be rare.
We want to mitigate the housing crisis and housing-affordability pain; we want new housing built. We are dismayed at the number of sites where a new building is approved and then nothing happens, sometimes for years or decades. Two prominent examples are Somerset House and 330 Gilmour Street. We encourage the City to create an environment where the approval of an application almost always results in construction within a reasonable time frame. A vacant-property tax is one possible encouragement; there are others.
Finally, we would draw your attention to Dundonald Park. Dundonald is one of Ottawa’s oldest parks, full of mature trees and gardens. It should be respected, its beauty and heritage character protected. We recommend no tall buildings encroach on the park. Specifically, we recommend the north side of the block of Somerset adjacent to the park, Lyon to Bay, be zoned for four storeys. North of that, heights should be tiered. Thus, the permitted height on Cooper between Lyon and Bay should be six storeys. This will protect the heritage character of the gem that is Dundonald Park.
Thank you for time and attention to these concerns.
Sincerely,
Rob Dekker
President,
Centretown Community Association
c.c. Ariel Troster, Councillor
Catherine McKenney, MPP
Yasir Naqvi, MP
