Future Parkette at 299 Carling
The proposed concept for the new parkette
Image: Courtesy of Canada Lands Company, Algonquins of Ontario, City of Ottawa and NAK Design Strategies
Future Parkette at 299 Carling
By Sue Stefko
The Glebe Annex Community Association (GACA) annual general meeting on May 14 featured a keynote presentation by Canada Lands Company, which largely focused on the new parkette that will be built at the 299 Carling site in 2026.
Canada Lands confirmed that residents will finally see some movement this summer with the start of remediation that will last into the into fall. In the meantime, the City, working with Canada Lands and the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO), will finish its detailed plan for the .34-acre park – measuring only 83 by 146 feet, it is actually officially categorized as an “urban parkette.”
The preliminary concept design was completed by Canada Lands in coordination with the AOO this spring, and a virtual public consultation was launched in March. Feedback was largely supportive of the preliminary design, given that design was informed by an earlier public consultation in 2022.
In the City-led consultation, the community was happy to see the proposed public art, which will be procured by Canada Lands and the AOO through the City’s Public Art Program, along with the interpretive panels. The neighbourhood again requested that these acknowledge the neighbourhood’s history. This could include references to the area’s Algonquin heritage, structures that used to be on the site, such as JR Booth’s Fraserfield lumber yard and the NCC rock quarry, and the area’s origins as a working-class community that supported local mills and lumberyards.
Feedback also re-emphasized the desire for a community gathering space, as well as play structures and potentially exercise equipment to serve an older clientele than Dalhousie South Park, whose play structures are primarily aimed at younger children. Given the dearth of greenspace in the neighbourhood, a shortage exacerbated by each new development, the community indicated a desire to maximize greenspace and minimize hardscaping in the new park. While it is too early to discuss planting plans, the preference for native plants, such as pollinators that help wildlife, was also reiterated.
One new request was for community involvement in the naming of the park. Canada Lands explained that because this will be an Algonquin commemorative park, a name will be selected by Canada Lands and the AOO. However, the city’s commemorative naming process will be followed, which will enable the community to provide some input. The naming is expected to take place this fall or winter.
The park will not be the only greenspace on the site. As per the site’s zoning, the rocky outcropping on Bell Street South south of Dow’s Lake Towers will also remain as open space. However, unlike the park, this space’s design and creation will be up to the future purchaser of the property as part of their site plan for the proposed development, which will be reviewed by Canada Lands and the AOO to confirm alignment with the design guidelines developed for the site. The timelines will also be dependent on the purchaser.
Attendees of the AGM took advantage of the opportunity to ask about other aspects of the development in the area. We learned that the site, which was initially offered to the market in the fall of 2022, was re-offered this spring by the broker, CBRE. Canada Lands indicated that there is interest from developers, and it is working toward a sale by the end of this year.
There continues to be strong community interest in retail and commercial opportunities as part of the development. This is especially relevant given that plans for a grocery store and either a drug store or LCBO were shelved after Arnon withdrew from its proposed project at 450 Rochester. Canada Lands has confirmed that a mix of uses is permitted on the site as part of a 2022 zoning bylaw amendment. The rezoning of the site also included a requirement that for any building fronting Carling Avenue, at least 50 per cent of the ground floor must be dedicated to commercial uses and offer opportunities for retail.
The annual general meeting proved to be a valuable opportunity to share updates and engage with the community, not only about broader neighbourhood information and developments but especially about the much-anticipated park at 299 Carling.
Sue Stefko is vice president of the Glebe Annex Community Association and a frequent contributor to the Glebe Report.