By Pepper Parr
June 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Wow – these guys can spend money like a drunken sailor.
The Regional council agreed to purchase all the homes in the Beachway community on a willing buyer – willing seller basis. During the last few years a number of homes have been purchased on this basis.
There are basically two groups in the Beachway – those who do not want to sell – the love the community they live in and want to be left along to enjoy the home and the life style they have.
There are others who are willing to sell and they want to get every last dollar that might be available to them.
With a buyer who has to buy every home in order to turn that part of the city into a park – a very large park and a well-designed park – this put the sellers in a great position.
How great?
The structure at 991 Lakeshore Road went for $535,000. It was described by a Beachway resident this way: “lot size…tiny…probably almost house foot print only…house is an absolute shack!! with no proper septic etc. Almost can’t live in it…it’s an absolute dump inside. When I say shack…I mean it.”
All the property on Willow is now in the hands of the Regional government. Owning this part of the Beachway is critical to the long range park development plans – a new road is to be along this part of the park.
The structure is one of four located on Willow Street, a very short street that runs off Lakeshore.
With prices like this being offered the owners of property in the Beachway will do what is best for them – just sit tight and watch the prices rise. Great for the property owners – brutal on the public purse.
The house in the center is reported to have been sold for $405,000
The Regional government is in the process of changing the look and feel of the Beachway community – turning it into a park that will focus on the natural elements and make kit into something significantly different than what it is today.
While the Regional real estate people pick off the homes one by one people in the Regional Planning department toil away at completing the design of the Beachway Park.
This doesn’t look like a home that is being readied for sale to the Regional government who will eventually tear it down.
Regional planners are working up a plan that will turn what was once a community that had its own newspaper and was home to hundreds of people. The plan for the park is a splendid piece of planning – but will it meet the longer terms needs of the city – and will it b a safe place?
Some of the properties in the Beachway were not much more than shacks that probably didn’t meet all the by laws. Other homes are lovely buildings carefully and lovingly maintained by their owners – and they don’t want to move.
One of the nicest properties in the Beachway – but if the plans for the park are to be fully realized – this house can’t remain
Do homes like this have to be torn down? If the current Beachway park plans are to be realized the has has to go. There isn’t anyone thinking about changing the park plans – at this point. The Region however is run by elected officials – and plans do change but it is going to take a lot of political courage and leadership to make that happen.
Some people are upgrading their homes. There will come a point where the wishes of the Region, solidly backed by the vast majority of Burlington city Councillors, will clash with the property owners. That;s many years away – but that day is coming.
Eminent Domain