New complex near des Allumetières

Vanier road property to be demolished for 400-unit building

Sophie Demers

On April 8, Gatineau posted a public notice concerning demolition requests, one of which was for the vacant commercial building at 502 Vanier. Previously Auto Aylmer, the building is located near the intersection of Blvd. des Allumettières and Chemin Vanier. The Committee on Demolition Applications approved the demolition on April 25.

The property is owned by Investissements Clarikev Vanier Inc. / Clarikev Vanier Investments Inc. The original building was constructed in 1956 and an addition was built on the northern part of the building in 2010. The structure is not considered a heritage building.

An analysis of the property states “the existing building has very little aesthetic, functional and aesthetic, functional and heritage value.” The building has no structural issues or significant hazardous materials and is valued at $157,000, while the property is worth $1,400,800.

The purpose of the demolition is to clear the site for a preliminary land reuse program involving the construction of a 10-storey structure, with approximately 420 units and commercial space facing Vanier Road.

“I will be in favour of the demolition because this place is no longer used. The replacement project will be presented to us soon and I want to make sure that it will integrate well with its environment,” said Caroline Murray, Deschênes councillor and member of the Committee for Demolition Applications. “By having a project on the edge of the Boucher Forest, I want to be assured that the two co-exist well. It’s certain that the project will once again, like the many new projects on Vanier Road, have an impact on traffic.”

It is important to note that the planned project for the site is a criterion for analysis for the demolition and must still go through many approval stages and consultations before the owner gets permission to build. The plan must be analyzed by the Comité Consultatif d'Urbanisme and get approved by the Municipal Council. The detailed plan for the apartment complex development has not yet been submitted to the council for approval.

Residents or corporations who disagree with the committee’s ruling, and whose addresses are within the territory of Gatineau, can request a review of the decisions before the Municipal Council within 30 days of the Committee's decision. A fee of $122.50 is associated with the request to review and must be paid in full at the time of filing the appeal. If a review of the decision is called, the authorization to demolish the building will be suspended until it is complete.

Photo caption: Vanier Road plan near des Allumettière. This is the preliminary plan for land use for the 502 Vanier property. A detailed plan has yet to be submitted to the Municipal Council. More analysis and approvals from various committees and councils are needed before the project is approved.