Scouts Canada is looking to redevelop its national headquarters in Ottawa’s west end with four high-rise apartment buildings and a municipal park. An application has been filed with the City of Ottawa for a Zoning Bylaw amendment to permit the development of the four buildings at 1345 Baseline Road, near Clyde Avenue. The land is currently occupied by a two-storey office building that was the Scouts Canada National Office and a totem pole. The documents say Scouts Canada no longer operates on the property. The plan calls for a 40-storey building, two 34-storey buildings and a 28-storey building with a total of 1,251 residential units, commercial areas within the buildings and two underground parking garages with 952 spaces. The buildings would each have either a four-storey or six-storey podiums. A report says the residential towers would be situated at the four corners of the property and a 1,109 sq. m. municipal park fronting onto Baseline Road. Fotenn Planning + Design has been retained by Bertone to prepare a planning rationale report for the plan. The report says the development would be constructed in phases, with the 40-storey building featuring 370 units constructed first, followed by the 28-storey building and a 34-storey building. “Tower B will be held in reserve until the site has adequate access to municipal services that can accommodate the full number of occupants,” the report said. “The proposed development includes commercial uses at-grade to animate the street and provide important services and commercial amenities to existing and future residents.” The proposed 1,251 residential units include 231 one-bedroom units, 457 one-bedroom and den units and 483 two-bedroom units. Fotenn Planning + Design notes the planned development is located along the proposed Baseline Road bus rapid transitway project. An application was initially filed with the City of Ottawa in August 2022 to build three high-rise buildings on the property with 952 residential units. The Counts Canada National Office includes a totem pole that has been on the property on Baseline Road since 1961. According to Scouts Canada, it was a gift from the British Columbia government to celebrate the newly opened headquarters. Scouts Canada said the totem pole was designed and created by Kwakiutl Chief and world-renowned northwest coast carver, Chief Mungo Martin, and his grandson, Henry Hunt. The City of Ottawa has also received an application to build seven buildings and a public park at 1200 Baseline Road at Merivale Road, which is currently a Myers Automotive Group dealership.
