Public consultation

New version of Deschênes Community Housing

More than 20 residents gathered at the Saint-Médard parish for l’Habitations de l’Outaouais Métropolitain’s (HOM) presentation of an attention-grabbing project for community housing in Deschênes, January 14. Howard Powles, Deschênes Residents Association president, Pontiac MNA André Fortin, and Deschênes Councillor Richard Bégin were also present. The presentation focused on the project’s new second version to be located at the corner of Deschênes and Jean-Paul Poirier Streets.

“This version is completely different than the first,” explained Anne Robinson, project coordinator for HOM, a not-for-profit association. “The first version featured a “porte cochère” with buildings around a large interior courtyard. Now the buildings are placed more traditionally.”

The buildings are also lower than in the first version. Those along Deschênes Street will be two-storeys and those inside the narrow and long housing project will be three-storey edifices. The zoning in the area permits up to four-storeys.

In total, there will be six buildings with 18 two-bedroom, six three-bedroom, four four-bedroom, and two five-bedroom residences. That’s a total of 30 units, 15 of which will be affordable housing units and the other 15 subsidized for low-income residents. HOM plans to give Deschênes residents first priority.

Residents’ questions concerned the increased traffic the 90 future residents will generate. Unlike other housing projects in Aylmer, the extra 30 units will likely add only some traffic, less than the usual influx of cars. But residents did have concerns. “Why does the city continue to give out construction permits when all the streets are clogged?” asked one resident. “I’m five kilometres from Champlain Bridge and it takes me 45 minutes to reach the bridge in the morning,” said another.

Councillor Bégin answered that all present construction in Aylmer is the result of zoning changes made years ago; he added that the city is not planning to build new avenues to serve Aylmer’s growing population.