By Pepper Parr
June 18th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
How best to describe the event.
It is huge. Doesn’t represent what most people see as the Burlington they want to live in. Population growth determined by the province is going to require this kind of development.
The first stage design is for a property that straddles Fairview with the GO service train tracks on the north.
At the start of the 4:00 to 7:00 pm meeting the room was packed.
By 4:45 the audience had thinned out considerably.
The people staffing the poster boards had residents questioning everything they saw.
Korsiak Planning Consultants had people staged at each of the posters – in place to explain what was being proposed.
None of the Alinea top people were present.
This was basically a research event – testing the waters as it were.
There was nothing interesting, exciting or innovative about the building designs. What struck most people we talked to was the massing.
People wanted to see visuals of what had been described by Stolte as a development that would consist of 28 high-density residential and mixed use commercial buildings ranging from 12 to 45 stories tall with a housing capacity upwards of 25,000 new residents.
No application has been submitted to the City as of yet, nor has this proposal come before Council for any decision. The purpose of a Pre-Application Community meeting is to give the residents in the neighbourhood the opportunity to give feedback on the proposed development before an application is submitted.
The meeting will follow and Open-House format, featuring informational stations with poster boards. Members of the developer team will be present to discuss elements of the development and gather community feedback. City staff will be in attendance, as well as myself, to observe and respond to queries regarding City process.
He was explaining – she wasn’t buying.
She wanted more information which they didn’t seem to have.
Many were stunned at the size of the development as it was being presented.
The event was managed by Korsiak Urban planners, a corporation Alinea had hired to explain the plans and gauge public reaction.
They got a reaction – my personal doubt is that there was not a single citizen in the room that liked what they saw on the poster board spread along the walls of the room.
Former Mayor Rick Goldring
Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte – did not make an appearance.
The Mayor attended, several Councillors popped in for a period of time. The Councillor who didn’t show up was Shawna Stolte representing Ward 4. She apparently had a meeting elsewhere that she chose to attend.
Interesting that former Mayor Rick Goldring made an appearance. While we were there Golding didn’t look at any of the poster boards – he chit chatted with people instead
Mayor Meed Ward had one citizen who was determined to argue with her. Watching the Mayor patiently listen to an obviously irate resident
They also mislabeled Appleby Line as “Appleby Road” – very unprofessional and obviously thrown together in a hurry!
Ted, if indeed you heard that “they really don’t plan on allowing four plex’s, it’s under study” is what is happening then Burlington will be following Oakville who promised everything the federal government asked for to get these funds and then reneged.
According to Karina Gould who spoke at the current events class at the Burlington Seniors Centre a few weeks ago with regard to Oakville changing its plan for intensification the money is to go back to the Federal Government. She did admit that she didn’t know how this would be accomplished..
A friend who was at the meeting told me after reading your article that you would want to know that Councillor Stolte along with her father were in attendance.
I attended this event, along with about a 100+ other irate and infuriated area residents. Graham describes the proposals as “insane”. That is a very apt description. I might add the letters “b.s.” in front of it.
I looked at one of the visuals as the planner from Korsiak explained how they developed their plan. He talked about Appleby Line becoming a six lane road, and how the City would be reconfiguring the intersection to eliminate traffic congestion. I asked him how he knew about these traffic redevelopment plans. He said this was their “estimate”. I asked him when this traffic reconfiguration “estimate” would be happening. He didn’t know, but figured 10-25 years out. Evidently, Alinea’s strategy was to develop this wonderful futuristic proposal, and then invite public input. I asked him whatever happened to inviting public consultation first on what citizens wanted, and then planning around actual public needs, feedback and housing requirements. Crickets. The fact that there was no survey during or after the meeting to provide written comments or feedback tells you how well-planned this process was.
Alinea did themselves a huge amount of public relations damage hosting this event. They angered residents, raised public ire, and showed unbelievable disrespect for Burlington citizens. The fact they hosted this event with limited advance notice, late in an afternoon, and at a time when many residents are still working, speaks volumes.
Well written, Stephen. As you know I also attended and really got few if any clear answers from three or four Korsiak planners I talked with about this proposal. My main question was where else in Southern Ontario was there a municipality that has 25,000 people in a small area of nearly 30 mid to high rise buildings? I too got crickets. There isn’t one, at least yet.
Burlington is on track to be the guinea pig for the newest future 25,000 person slum before it’s ever been built. I won’t be around to see it but my kids and grandkids will. Of course they won’t live here. The Burlington of the future is within our vision and it won’t be pretty or match at all with our official City Vision today.
Any reason given why Fearman’s Pork Slaughterhouse at Appleby & Harvester was omitted from the display boards?
It’s right there – and on a hot summer day, the aroma already goes 45 storeys high.
Insane doesn’t start to describe it.
I spoke with the Mayor on this at the meeting. She seems to believe or has been “told” that all residents, 1.8 per unit, and their visitors will essentially be utilizing the GO Train for all of their transportation needs. Someone commented that she loves Alinea….I am sure that’s just rumour speculation.
I have some beach front property in Nunavut for sale. Actually, I think will fourplex my single house, sell it to some slum landlord and move. Let’s all do it and ghettoize Burlington.
Another birdie told me that they really don’t plan on allowing four plex’s, it’s under study. Grab the feds cash and run.
I guess the next thing we will be hearing is that all of these new residents will be riding their bikes to the GO train.
What a disaster. Imagine the intersection of Appleby and Fairview complicated by Street A just few hundred metres north. Councillor Stolte was wise to stay away. It will be hard for any city official to support or justify this concentration. I don’t think provincial housing guidelines wish to turn Burlington into sardine can living.
Perhaps Rick Goldring is thinking of running for Mayor again?
Recently he seems to be attending some City events, and making his presence known.
Insane !A city the size of Stratford Ontario in a few city Blocks.
We definitely need a new city council that knows when to say NO like those in Oakville.
Maybe Rick sees an opening to get his old job back?