Strasburg Rd apartment complex | 12 fl | ? m | Proposed

[rangersfan]

Quote of the day "I don’t want to see this destroy our neighbourhood"


Neighbours plan open meeting about Hallman development
January 21, 2015 | Melissa Murray | Kitchener Post | LINK

Concerned residents, who live near the future Strasburg Road extension, are organizing their own public meeting, after deciding the city fumbled communicating a proposed development.

A current proposal includes two 12-storey apartment buildings, with 12 units on each floor and several townhouses, which border Brigadoon Woods and the Strasburg Provincial Wetland.

The Hallman development will require an official plan amendment, as well as a zoning change.

The city and Hallman Construction hosted a public meeting in November, but only residents within a 120-metre radius were informed, leaving many without up-to-date information on the development.

Jeremy Grub, one of the organizers of the community meeting, said the purpose of it is to bring the neighbourhood up to speed about the current proposal, after many residents were not notified of the public meeting in November, and also to address some of the residents’ concerns, such as noise, pollution and shadows cast from the towers and traffic.

He hopes to present those concerns to council at a future meeting.

“This meeting is purely informational to let residents know what the proposed plan is for the rezone and basically gather some information before this all heads to council,” Grub said.

Grub, who purchased land on Newcastle Drive and built a new home to overlook the forest, is disappointed he was never told his view would be obstructed by medium-rise towers.

Grub said the city was “very co-operative on the Strasburg extension, but when we got to the discussion of Brigadoon Woods, they led you to believe the woods were staying in tact.

“You go from thinking you’ll have a wooded view with Strasburg Road running though it to apartments and townhouses, and just being completely misled,” he added.

But it’s not only how the city has handled informing residents of the development, it’s also the proposed development itself that has residents frustrated.

Grub said many residents are concerned about the environmental impacts the new development could have on the wetland and Brigadoon Woods, especially from salt runoff.

“We’re not saying ‘No’ to development, but we are concerned about the height of it and how close it is (to the woods),” Grub said.

“We want to make sure it’s going to be managed well. Why protect an area if it isn’t going to be managed properly afterwards?”

Grub also wants to ensure the feel of his neighbourhood is preserved.

“It’s probably not the right place for it; the residents don’t want it, it doesn’t fit into what our community is and our new Mayor Berry [Vrbanovic] is all about community and wanting it to thrive.

“Here is his opportunity to listen to the community with a well thought-out plan. I don’t know what that will do for Hallman Construction, but at least council will know what our community wants,” he said.

According to residents, this type of development doesn’t fit in the neighbourhood.

“This is totally inappropriate for our neighbourhood,” Alicia Pokluda said.

“Myself, my family and other people here like living in suburbia. Certainly we respect that some people want to live in density, but that’s not what we chose by moving here,” she said, referencing the two apartment towers under consideration.

She’s hoping the city will listen to her neighbourhood’s concerns and not “shove the development down their throats.”

“I hope the city respects us and that our voices count for something. I don’t want to see this destroy our neighbourhood … Otherwise, I’ll have to pack up one more time and move somewhere else,” she said.

Coun. Kelly Galloway-Sealock, said she’ll be attending the meeting to get a good grasp of her residents’ concerns.

“This is somewhat unique,” she said of the community meeting.

“It’s not something that happens really often, but they are rallying together, so they know what to push for.”

The meeting is scheduled for tonight, Jan. 22, at Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre, 150 Pioneer Dr., from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. More information can also be found on Twitter @ABetterKW.