1495 Heron Road Redevelopment Master Plan
Canada Lands Company (CLC) is developing a new mixed-use urban community in Ottawa. The 18-acre (7.3-hectare) site located at 1495 Heron Road, also referred to as the Campanile Campus, is located on unceded Algonquin traditional territory within the Guildwood Estates neighbourhood in the Alta Vista community.
ERA was engaged as a cultural heritage consultant to support CLC’s commitment to heritage conservation within the context of the proposed redevelopment project. The property consists of 12 buildings, with a large amount of open space and surface parking. The Campanile Campus was originally built as a Catholic educational campus and convent by the Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame in the 1960s. The campus was designed as a collaboration between architect Tim Murray and landscape architect Peter Coe, and includes work by artist Gerald Trottier. The property was acquired by the federal government in 1973 for use as a training centre, and purchased by CLC in 2020 with the intent to redevelop the site as a mixed-use development consisting of residential, commercial, retail, and open space.
ERA and the consultant team — Stantec and PACE Consulting — worked collaboratively with CLC to develop the Master Plan. ERA conducted a comprehensive site investigation and background document assessment to inform the concept plan development, participated in stakeholder engagement, developed an approach to commemoration, and prepared the required heritage reporting for municipal submission. Reports prepared by ERA include an Adaptive Reuse Considerations report, a Heritage Character Analysis and Conservation Strategy report, and Conservation Design Guidelines.
The proposed Master Plan is grounded in a methodical, step-by-step approach to understanding the cultural heritage value of the property, including its buildings, landscape and ensemble. The proposed concept conserves the heritage character and value of the Campanile Campus, balancing conservation and renewal. It responds to the heritage considerations provided through community and stakeholder input and maintains the legibility of the Campus as an example of a modernist educational complex. The proposed concept will facilitate renewed use of the Campanile Campus as a vibrant, mixed-use community with many green and open spaces while celebrating the heritage value of the property.
A Zoning By-law Amendment application was submitted to the City of Ottawa in April 2023 and approved by City Council in October 2024.
