Ottawa's Carlingwood Mall has served the community for decades, but like many malls, it faces the challenge of adapting to a changing retail landscape. The recent acquisition by Streamliner and Anthem Properties offers an exciting opportunity for a transformative redevelopment.
This project has the potential to be more than just new housing units. Here's a vision for a reimagined Carlingwood that prioritizes affordability, community, and sustainability.
Affordable Housing
Ottawa's housing market is tight, and affordable options are scarce. The redevelopment could incorporate a mix of housing types, including a significant portion of rentals and ownership units designated as affordable. This would create opportunities for young families, seniors, and essential workers to live in a well-connected and vibrant neighbourhood.
Community Spaces that Foster Connection
Malls were once social hubs, and the new Carlingwood can recapture that spirit. Imagine a central plaza for farmers markets, outdoor movie nights, or community events. Indoor spaces could house a daycare centre, a community centre, or a co-working space for local entrepreneurs. These amenities would foster a sense of belonging and encourage interaction among residents.
Green Initiatives for a Sustainable Future
Sustainability should be a cornerstone of the project. Green building practices can reduce the environmental impact of construction and operation. Rooftop gardens, community solar panels, and ample bike storage would promote a low-carbon lifestyle for residents. Additionally, planting trees and incorporating green spaces throughout the development would create a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment.
A Community Voice in the Process:
Engaging with the community through meetings and forums can provide valuable insights into the community’s vision and concerns. This engagement is key to creating projects that are welcomed rather than opposed. Public consultations should be held throughout the planning process, ensuring residents have a say in the design and amenities. Woodpark, Glabar Park, Whitehaven and Carlingwood community associations have collectively approached the purchasers to initiate a dialogue. A collaborative approach will foster a sense of ownership and create a development that truly reflects the needs and aspirations of the Carlingwood neighbourhood. They have responded and will actively engage with us as the plans get underway.
The redevelopment of Carlingwood Mall presents a unique opportunity to create a thriving, mixed-use space that offers affordable housing, fosters community connections, and prioritizes environmental responsibility. By working together, residents, developers, and city officials can transform Carlingwood into a vibrant hub for generations to come.
Use the comments below to tell us what you think should be included in the development.
Great ideas, especially the outdoor market, social/community hub and realistically affordable housing mix. Green space could include vegetable container gardening for the food bank instead of all flowers.
I’ve said it before, take a look at Uptown Shopping Centre in Victoria BC, it is an amazing example of what could be done. When you’re sitting outside on a bench, under a shady tree, watching your kids play at the splash pad while you sip a coffee and eat a treat from the local bakery stand, you would never know you were sitting steps away from a Walmart Supercentre.
It needs to keep the Canadian Tire and reimagine the grocery store situation. Keeping some shops and restaurants is important but reimagining shopping malls and box stores is needed. The future development must keep the walking neighborhood in mind. I love the idea of an outdoor market area and underground parking. Even a direct bus or trolley link or something better to the new train is very important. New Orchard is not the closest link is it?
I really like the idea of making the shopping centre a mixed use centre for community events along with spaces for nearby community centres and local entrepreneurs. Let's also not forget the need for a substantial grocery store and drug store for the many seniors we have in the area.
That said, the last thing we need is another high rise condominium, whose prices will almost certainly NOT fall within the definition of affordable. Remember we are still destined to end up with a high rise condo at the northwest corner of Woodroffe and Carling. Adding more condominiums to the mix should make it a real joy for traffic going through an intersection which is already terrible!
Carlingwood Mall has lost its relevance and vitality over the years. It has also turned into an ecological dinosaur with its giant barren parking lot that captures heat and keeps the area hot after the sun goes down.
It still serves as a precious shopping and socializing destination for locals, especially the many seniors who live nearby.
To the biggest Canadian Tire store in the country, the new development could add other more meaningful firsts in terms of urban design and, at the same time, create the neighborhood hub that we need. With three schools nearby, a library, a few churches and several senior homes, it is perfectly located to become the heart of our village.
And to do so,…