Planners offer first look at Tewin development

The planners behind a controversial development in southeast Ottawa offered a look at the project's early designs this week. 

Renderings on display at a community centre on Thursday night showed a mix of higher-density townhouses and apartments, plus shops and services, planned for Tewin, a new suburb from Algonquins of Ontario and its developer partner, the Taggart Group of Companies.

Jonathan McLellan, who lives nearby, said he was concerned when he first heard about the project.

"I moved out this way to be in the country, to be away from the city," he said.

But after looking at Thursday's materials, McLellan said he's looking forward to the new community.

He said some of the details that stood out to him were the bike paths and walkways, as well as the potential public transit options for the area.

"Obviously, my neighborhood's changing, and I think for the most part it's in a good way," he said.

Other residents have lingering questions about the development, such as who's going to pay for all the new infrastructure.

"We have to think what is this going to cost the average taxpayer in Ottawa do the servicing of all this," Monica Brewer said. "I think all those questions have to be answered before we start worrying too much about the details."

Craig Lametti, a planner with the firm tapped to do the designs, said there will be a range of different charges and mechanisms used to ensure the community pays for itself. 

He added another round of public engagement is planned sometime this summer.