The large property at 147-149 Vanier Road, just north of the Rapides-Deschênes primary school, is up for sale with an asking price of $850,000.  There is a 24-room home, built in 1971, a large wooded area, plus an open area on this site.  Some of that open space may be replaced by high-density development.

 

 

The property has been subdivided into seven lots, ranging from 2,024 square metres to 3,846 square metres.  The real estate company managing the sale advertises that a site environmental evaluation was completed, December 18, 2013, by the firm CIMA+.  The study was commissioned to determine if the property is contaminated because, in 1989, there was a spill of heating oil just to the north, at 153 Vanier Road.  The engineering firm tested two locations on the north side, November 28, 2013, and found that any hydrocarbons, heavy metals and other toxins are within the acceptable range for residential, recreational, commercial and institutional uses. 

 

 

The property was put up for sale, February 19, 2015, advertised as  “One very large house…five minutes from the Champlain bridge, 7 lots of around 22,000 square feet each, with the last lot on Fauburg Street, where there are water and sewer services.  (There is a) possibility of developing nearly 20 doors … room for a large project!” 

 

According to the city, “Faubourg Street ends in a temporary cul-de-sac. The Faubourg du Rivage project, a neighbouring project being built, requires connecting Faubourg Street to Vanier Road, forming an intersection with Calvados Street.” [ Bulletin translation ]

 

 

Councillor Richard Bégin told The Bulletin, “When I checked the zoning, it became clear that even if Mrs Leclair has subdivided her property (and I am not clear how she did that, since it occurred during my predecessor’s term), the current zoning allows only homes of one or two storeys, on one-acre lots.”

 

“I will follow this file closely.” said Bégin, “and would oppose a zoning change to connect Faubourg to Vanier Road.  If a zoning change is attempted, the planning committee would have to call a public consultation.” 

 

Some residents’ have questioned the loss of Butternut trees via the proposal, but Gatineau says that any development will be subject to bylaws “regarding planting and architectural integration for a sector under re-development. . . . In nearby Faubourg du Rivage, 28 Butternut trees were cut down by the developer.”  The developer must meet the city’s requirement of planting ten trees for each one removed, requiring 280 trees.  The city spokesperson added, “Preliminary exchanges indicate that the line of trees present on the lots will be maintained.”  However, this refers to a line of trees along the Rapides-Deschênes property, not the abundant greenery inside the property. 

 

Regarding the Butternut trees that nearby residents were promised would not be cut or would be replaced, Councillor Bégin told The Bulletin he will examine the question since it is now 2015. 

 

 

Luc Côté, a former physical education teacher at Rapides-Deschênes who operates an athletic camp for children, laments the loss of trees.  “The forest where I used to bring my students is completely gone.  We taught them cross-country skiing, orienteering, and played “prey-predator” games that helped them understand how wild animals live along the food chain.  Children learned how rabbits, eagles, wolves and hunters lived together,” Mr. Côté reminisced.  “Former students, now 40 years old, tell me how much fun they had and what they learned.  The pupils have lost this opportunity.  It’s a real shame, but schools can’t buy that land, and money always comes first.”