A message from the Stonebridge Working Group (SWG):
As a follow up to our previous community update sent out on May 7, the Stonebridge Working Group (SWG) would like to inform Stonebridge residents that after over a month of constructive discussions and planning together as a group, last night we held our first in-person meeting with senior representatives from Mattamy to discuss the future of the Stonebridge Golf Course. In attendance were Kevin O’Shea (President, Ottawa Division), Kevin Murphy (Vice President, Land Development, Ottawa Division), and Patrick Dion (Public Relations, Consultant).
Key highlights that can be shared at this time:
- The meeting was generally positive, with both sides listening to and discussing each other’s key issues and concerns in a constructive manner
- The discussion focused around the future of the golf course, potential development, and Mattamy’s relations with the community
- It was decided that the two groups are now in a position to continue to meet together with the intent of identifying preliminary elements of an agreement in principle, which we can then present to the community for feedback
Please note that the SWG community update meeting that we had previously hoped would occur by the end of this month will now take place in June. We want to ensure that we have enough new information and/or proposed actions to share with the community to make the next meeting worth everyone’s valuable time.
Kind regards,
Aline Gossein, Mike Kujawski, James MacRae, Jay McLean, Stephanie Newell, Nicole Parent, Ron Reddick, Niraj Singhal, Karin Taylor, Spencer Warren, Brad Wright
I’m really concerned about the SWG approach on this issue.
I’ll be frank. Anything less than a full stop on plans to demolish any part of the course would be a FAIL (and a win for Mattamy). There are times to take a ‘Canadian’ approach on issues like these and there are times to be ‘American’. This issue screams for the American version which, from what I’m reading, is not your direction.
Thanks, Robert. Rest assured we are fighting hard on behalf of all Stonebridge residents. More info coming soon.
Agreed,,,
Mattamy Homes Ltd. has a tentative agreement to pay about $330 million cash for Monarch Homes, the Canadian division of U.S. home builder Taylor Morrison Home Corp.The deal is subject to approval by the Competition Bureau but is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015.Mattamy will then work with Monarch over the following months to integrate the two organizations, but chief operating officer Brian Johnston says for the time being, it’s status quo for home buyers.
“There’s not going to be a wholesale bloodletting,” he said Tuesday. “We’re not planning on changing the contracts to say Mattamy instead of Monarch … In effect there will be no change.”Monarch’s highrise business, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area and its landholdings across Ontario were appealing to Mattamy, which has focused on low-rise building since being founded about 35 years ago.“In one fell swoop we were able to buy a number of land positions that had various levels of planning approvals,” said Johnston, who was president of Monarch for 12 years before moving to Mattamy in 2012. The acquisition means Mattamy will now also be well positioned to consider highrise opportunities in Ottawa thanks to the “very experienced highrise team” at Monarch.
Johnston could not say whether the name Monarch will eventually disappear. “We recognize it’s got great brand value. On the other hand there’s arguments to made to have one corporate entity under the brand Mattamy,” he said.
The addition of Monarch will solidify Mattamy’s position as Canada’s largest home builder.
Mattamy is a private company based in Oakville, Ont. It has built communities in the Toronto area, Calgary and Edmonton as well in several U.S. metropolitan areas in Minnesota, North Carolina, Arizona and Florida. It has been building in Ottawa for about eight years and its projects include Half Moon Bay, Monahan Landing, Fairwinds & Fairwinds West.
Arizona-based Taylor Morrison says it expects to receive $570 million cash as a result of the transaction, including $240 million currently at Monarch. The U.S. home builder says the money will strengthen its ability to invest in strategic locations in the United States.
Ontario-based Monarch has been building in Ottawa since the 1970s. Its projects at Stonebridge and Longfields in Barrhaven will likely wrap up next year. It’s also building at Blackstone in Kanata and expects to launch Traditions II in Stittsville early next year.
With files from The Canadian Press