.png)
Barrhaven Marketplace Towers Proposal (McGarry)
- Ward 3 Office
- Aug 30, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 19
Click the arrow to expand/collapse the content
Councillor's Comments
Newsletter: April 17, 2024
I have had a number of prods this past week regarding the proposal for the 35 and 26 story towers behind Walmart. I have had several engagements with staff and the proponent since our last public meeting. I have been hearing your concerns and advocating for solutions to the developer, who I believe is taking our feedback in terms of traffic mitigations and costs as related to the initially proposed density seriously. I suspect that their business case will continue, but I am confident that we will see modifications that are aligned with my initial position regarding mitigations to the traffic and ensuring units geared towards downsizing seniors. Should you have a specific interest in this issue, I would be more than happy to discuss either over a coffee or a phone call. And of course, once there is an actual site plan/approval process, I will share the information with you. Note that the zoning for this parcel since the Barrhaven secondary plan was approved about 10 years ago has been zoned high-density residential – that is a fact that was established before my time, and due to the parcel’s proximity to transit, it is unchangeable. If there was to be a dispute to try and reduce density at this site to the Ontario land tribunal, the city would lose. It is in a transit hub as the last council identified in the Official Plan and as such, will be developed high density. The levers that we control are how to mitigate against the potential downside risks.
Newsletter - April 4, 2025
On the topic of planning and Barrhaven developments, I have had a number of engagements from folks asking for updates on the 35 story towers project behind Walmart. There has been no update since our public meeting last fall, but I continue to represent your concerns to staff and the proponent. It is not lost on me the issues regarding traffic, safety and density and I am very much representing those such that the best mitigations can be implemented. Once I get more information, I will be sure to send you an update.
Newsletter - August 30, 2024
There was an article that came out this week from CityNews regarding the application to the City for a 26 and 35 story tower at Marketplace and McGarry. (See an article written in the Barrhaven Independent on this topic here as well). If you missed the discussion, see the link to the public meeting here. There were some very insightful concerns highlighted: traffic safety, parking, stormwater, sidewalk width, setbacks, greenspace, senior supports, tax implications, shadowing impacts, emergency service access as a few examples. As this application is within the parameters of the Official Plan, and as this is a textbook example of transit-oriented intensification, I am supportive. I will be working with residents, community associations, tenant boards, city staff and the proponent in order to mitigate the many very legitimate concerns as best as possible. I understand that there are apprehensions, but I do believe that we are better off to work with the applicant to mitigate these issues than to push back (and then subsequently lose an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal). To be clear, my two priorities for this development are to: 1. Maximize the number of units that are suitable for downsizing local senior citizens and 2. To ensure the optimal traffic design for the surrounding area in support of the tower. I very much appreciated the engagements to date on this topic and I highly encourage anyone that is interested in this file to watch the public meeting because it gives a very good overview of the project and highlights the principal concerns and initial responses. I am happy to discuss this further if you wish!
Newsletter - August 16, 2024
This week I held two meetings, one at Lepine tower for local residents and one online for the whole public, to discuss the application to the City for a 26 and 35 story tower at Marketplace and McGarry. See an article written in the Barrhaven Independent on this topic here, and if you missed the discussion, see the link to the public meeting here. There were some very insightful concerns highlighted: traffic safety, parking, stormwater, sidewalk width, setbacks, greenspace, senior supports, tax implications, shadowing impacts, emergency service access as a few examples. As this application is within the parameters of the Official Plan, and as this is a textbook example of transit-oriented intensification, I am supportive. I will be working with residents, community associations, tenant boards, city staff and the proponent in order to mitigate these concerns as best as possible. To be clear, my two priorities for this development are to: 1. Maximize the number of units that are suitable for downsizing local senior citizens and 2. To ensure the optimal traffic design for the surrounding area in support of the tower. I very much appreciated the engagements to date on this topic and I highly encourage anyone that is interested in this file to watch the public meeting because it gives a very good overview of the project and highlights the principal concerns and initial responses. I am happy to discuss further if you wish!
Newsletter - July 26, 2024
An application was submitted to the city for a 26 and 35 story tower at Marketplace and McGarry, which you can find here. I spoke with residents at Lepine towers about this a few months ago and will hold a series of engagements over the coming weeks as well (Likely on the 12 Aug). I am supportive of this proposal, as well as the need for intensification along transit corridors, but I want to hear from you so that we can take the mitigations necessary to evolve our Barrhaven downtown safely and effectively. Two issues that I plan to represent hard before this file comes to committee in October is that I would like to encourage the developer to maximize the building usage for local seniors looking to downsize, and to ensure good traffic safety measures on the McGarry Terrace drive as it becomes completed to Marketplace. Stay tuned for more, or send me an email.
Public Meeting
August 12, 2024
Official City Application
Can be found here
In the News
August 28, 2024
Ward Councillor David Hill has said numerous times he is in support of the project as long as it is appropriate living for older adults and addresses traffic concerns.
“I support the application as it comes in, but the two things I think I can have an influence on in order to mitigate the biggest concerns are to get as much of this for senior citizens and the other is for road safety,” Hill said at a community meeting for the project.
July 31, 2024
Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill is supportive of the proposal but would like to see a few amendments made.
“Two issues that I plan to represent hard before this file comes to committee in October is that I would like to encourage the developer to maximize the building usage for local seniors looking to downsize, and to ensure good safety measures on the McGarry Terrace drive as it becomes completed to Marketplace,” Hill wrote in his weekly newsletter.
Hill noted to the Barrhaven Independent in an interview that he would like to see a series of cheaper and smaller units be constructed as part of the plan.
“One of the problems I hear from people is we have apartments in Barrhaven, but they are on the higher end and they are difficult for someone on a fixed income to afford,” he said. “What we can do on the market rate side to keep them affordable is to have less premiums. That could include laminate countertops instead of quartz, laminate flooring instead of hardwood, and smaller square footage.”
July 23, 2024
There is a proposal to build one of Ottawa's tallest residential buildings in Barrhaven. CTV's Tyler Fleming has reaction from residents.
