Memories of mass eviction still fresh as Heron Gate redevelopment plans continue

Fears of gentrification and residents being pushed out of their homes were front of mindSaturday as a property owner pushes forward with the redevelopment process forOttawa's Heron Gate neighbourhood.

Around 50 people gathered at the Heron Road Community Centre Saturday morningfor the second visioning workshop in the last few months for a 16-hectare parcel of land owned by TimbercreekAsset Management.

Timbercreekis planning a new development over the next decade,but exactly whatthat will entail is still being ironed out and for some residents, that's the crux of the problem.

• Delay mass townhome evictions, Heron Gate residents say
• Heron Gate residents, developer sketch out community's future

"There's still a lot of bruises from theHG7process," saidAlta Vista Community Association president ClintonCowan,referring to residents of80 unitsevicted in 2016to make way forTimbercreek'sHG7apartment complex.

"It could have been a little more collaborative."

But itisn't just Heron Gateresidents worried about the redevelopment, Cowan said.

Since Heron Gate is already one of the city's most densely populated communities, he's heard from other peoplein Alta Vista who are concerned about how increasing that density might affect things like public transit.

There are also concerns thatplans will be rushed through city councilbecause it's an election year, Cowan said.

No set plan

"The plan is to get a plan. Right now we don't have a plan," said Greg Rogers, Timbercreek's senior vice-president of development.

The workshopsare designed to get the community's input before plans are submittedlater this year, he said.

Between 3,000 and 4,000 additionalunits could be added to Heron Gate through the redevelopment. Many of the existingtownhomesaren't in a sustainable condition.

"Right now, it's really a process of defining a community in the form of its amenities and amassing of the buildings," Rogers said.

"What goes in the buildings, the income levels, the suite sizes, the amenities within those buildings and in the surrounding area that's all taking shape as part of this process."

'Left in the dark'

MavisFinnamorelived on Sandalwood Driveuntilshe received an eviction notice fromTimbercreekin the fall of 2015.

Finnamoresaid residents were left scrambling to find new places to live in the dead of winter.

Shesaid she's attending the meetingsto ensurewhat happened to her won'thappen to any of the current tenants, and calledthema good first step.

"A lot of people felt that they were totally left in the dark," she said. "It left us disadvantaged in finding good places to rent and moving companies at a time when it was just inconvenient."

Alta Vista Coun.JeanCloutierhad requested the company slow its process to ensure ideas from residents were included in discussions aboutthe new community.

Cloutier said Saturday that renewing Heron Gate would be a "long-term benefit of the residents and of the city as a whole."

Varying the types and prices of unitsis also in line with the city's policies, he added.

"I don't think any community wants a cluster of housing that is all at a particular price point," Cloutier said. "I don't know if that's healthy."

Buildings in disrepair, some residents say

Samuel Kardash, who's lived in Heron Gate for nearly two years, said he's worried the already low number of affordable townhomes in Ottawa will be diminished once Heron Gate is redeveloped.

He believes Timbercreekis lettingsome buildings and their surroundingsfall into disrepair,pointing out the number ofpotholes and accusingthe company ofshoddy workmanship.

"I have a hard time believing that," Rogers replied, stating $45 million has been spent on Heron Gate since it was acquired in 2012.

"We have professional capital managers. We don't hire two guys in a half-tontruck to come in and do work for us....This is all very professionally managed, with professional contracts and professional inspection standards. SoI would be shocked if any of the work we did here didn't follow that type of process."