By Robert Tritt
The Ottawa Archdiocese has poured cold water on hopes that the large vacant lot behind the Notre Dame Cathedral on Sussex Drive, currently used for parking, will be developed anytime soon. In November, it applied to make permanent a temporary commercial parking lot that has been operating on the site since 2005.
The use of the 385 Sussex property for parking has been an issue with Lowertown residents for years. In 2003, the Church asked for approval to demolish two heritage buildings and expand its parking lot. The stated long term plan was to consolidate the Church’s Ottawa offices on the site, in a new building that would include underground parking. In the meantime, it needed zoning approval to use the site for commercial parking.
That application was opposed by the local community and the Council’s then heritage committee. They were concerned about losing the two heritage buildings, a 1960’s office building on Parent St. that had been the home of the Catholic Conference of Bishops and the Cathedral’s former rectory on Guigues St. They also feared that once the buildings were gone, the Church would lose interest in replacing them as heritage by-laws require, and would never follow up with plans to redevelop the large parking lot behind the Cathedral.
A compromise was worked out: the Church could demolish the buildings but parking would only be allowed on a temporary basis, until plans for a new building on the site were ready. A period of 8 to 10 years was discussed at the time. Temporary zoning for a parking lot was granted for three years in 2005, was renewed in 2008 and then again in 2011. The temporary zoning expired in October 2014.
According to Msgr Kevin Beach, the Archdiocese Vicar General, a lack of funds and the need to deal with other priorities means it will be “at least 10 years” before they can implement plans to redevelop the site. The Archdiocese is reluctant to sell the property and believes the only development of interest to private developers – typically, luxury condos – would not be appropriate. With no plans to build on the site, Beach believes the only realistic option is to re-zone the property to make the parking lot permanent, rather than continue to extend the temporary zoning every three years.
Opponents of the application, including the Lowertown Community Association, point to the city plan and policies aimed at eliminating surface parking in Lowertown. The site is in a heritage conservation district, close to the new Rideau transit station, and is far too important to be left vacant and used only for parking. They believe the Church has had ample time to come up with a suitable development proposal, and that further zoning permission for parking, even temporary, should not be granted. If the Archdiocese is unable or unwilling keep the promise it made in 2003 to build on the parking lot, it must now find a partner who is prepared to do so.
The zoning application will come before Council in early 2015. To date, the City has refused to grant permanent zoning for parking, on the basis that temporary zoning is the only way of ensuring the long term objective of eliminating parking on the site is met. However, at City Hall, “temporary” can be a long time. The parking lot beside the Rideau Centre operated under temporary zoning for more than 20 years until work finally began on the site last year.
Whatever decision is reached by Council, Lowertown West residents and visitors almost certainly will have to live with a large vacant lot and parked cars behind the Cathedral for many years to come.