Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Ottawa’s Planning and Housing Committee has approved a slate of amendments paving the way for a new community hub in Riverside South and a nine-storey residential development in the Alta Vista neighbourhood.
The decisions, made on Aug. 19, are subject to final approval by City Council today (Aug. 26).
Riverside South Community Centre and Library
The committee greenlit Official Plan and zoning amendments for the future Riverside South Community Centre and Library. Planning documents indicate the site 250 Town Square Pl. and sit within a new 10.9-hectare park, designed to provide space for recreation, community events, and everyday gatherings in the heart of the Riverside South Town Centre.
The approved changes allow for a shorter, more pedestrian-scaled building that will be set farther back from the roadway. According to the city, the revised design will better integrate with the community and create a more welcoming environment for active transportation. The modifications will enable:
- Wider sidewalks
- New trees and raised planters
- Additional seating areas
- Bike parking
New housing in Alta Vista
To support residential intensification, the committee approved Official Plan and zoning amendments for a property on Alta Vista Drive, just north of Smyth Road.
The site was formerly the headquarters of the Canadian Medical Association, but that building was demolished after the association left in 2016 and it has been a fenced-in undeveloped lot since then.
The rezoning increases the permitted building height from four to nine storeys. This will facilitate the construction of a mid-rise building featuring 379 residential units, including 135 larger two- and three-bedroom suites. The city noted this adds much-needed housing in an area where residents have access to nearby services, recreation, and transit.
Between January 2023 and the end of 2025, council provided land-use approvals for more than 69,600 new homes, representing about 46 per cent of the homes needed to meet the city’s goal of 151,000 market homes by 2031. Since the beginning of 2026, the committee estimates it has facilitated the development of nearly 2,950 new homes.
