By Pepper Parr
June 5th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor of Burlington is at it again.
In a tweet she sent out answering questions she said she has been asked.
She fails to mention when there will be real public engagement and doesn’t help the public understand just how much public space there will be in the former high school.
Follow up on her Q&A and then read about what was actually said at a Council meeting.
Will there be public engagement on the use of indoor space?
Yes, there will be multiple opportunities. Staff will be asking for expressions of interest for the 21,000 square foot of space for rent, programs and user groups, as well as an additional 9,000 sq. ft. of potential temporary space available to the community at Bateman in the fall of 2023 and a visioning exercise in the summer and fall of 2023. The expressions of interest will help staff to know who is interested in working with the City, and what kinds of space requirements may be needed. Over the summer and fall of 2023, Recreation, Community and Culture staff will have an extensive community engagement planned for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the Parks and Recreation Cultural Asset Master Plan (PRCAMP) along with a review of direct delivered programs and services. Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback on these items.
In the late fall of 2023, staff will consult with the community on proposed high-level program mix for Bateman and share the community comments back with committee in winter 2024. More details of the program mix will be further refined as phase two of the construction is finalized and shared with the community.
When does Phase 2 of this project start?
Stage 2 of the current construction contract will not start until Q2 2024.
Why do we need more parking?
Parking is needed to accommodate the higher parking demand generated by the new uses including Brock University, Burlington Public Library, Tech Place, Halton District School Board, and the communities use of the existing and new community spaces.
Why do you need to put parking in the area of the track?
Under the city’s existing zoning by-law, site parking requirements are to be accommodated on site. However, as directed by Burlington City Council, staff will review all options, including street parking in the neighbourhood, on-site parking, off-site parking and building a parking structure. Staff will report back in Q4 2023 with parking recommendations. Once a parking plan is in place, we will know what can and can’t be done with the existing track and open space. Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the parking and open space plan for the site.
Can I still access the track and football field now?
Yes. The track and the area will be accessible for informal use in 2023 and while parking options are being developed and construction activity is not impacting this area. In 2024, construction activity will impact the area behind the school and the open space area including the track will not be accessible during construction.
Will any trees be cut down?
The City will work to protect the trees as much as possible; however, there are four trees within the construction zone that will be removed and one tree in poor health that needs to be removed for public safety. Those trees will be replaced. There may also be an opportunity to increase the number of trees as part of the landscaping plan.
Citizens are going to have to make a lot of noise if they want to keep the track and the sports field in the middle.
What will happen to the track and football field?
We won’t know until staff report back to Council later this year with all parking options and a recommendation.
Who makes the final decision on the parking spaces?
Staff are looking into all parking options including a parking structure, on-street parking, leasing agreements and reducing the number of parking spots required on-site. Staff will report back to Committee and Council in Q4 2023 with parking recommendations. If there is to be a reduction in parking, an application will be taken to the Committee of Adjustment. The committee will review the uses of the building, number of spaces required to meet demand and make a decision based on Council-approved Zoning Bylaws.
I don’t want to lose the track. How can we keep it?
Council has directed staff to report back in Q4 2023 on parking alternatives, so during this time, there will be no impact to the track. All options will be considered, including street parking in the neighbourhood, on-site parking, off-site parking and building a parking structure. Once a parking plan is in place, we will know what can and can’t be done with the existing track and open space. Residents will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the open space.
Can we build a parking garage to save the open space and track?
All options are being considered although this would be an expensive option.
There was very little mention of parking during the most recent round of Standing Committee meetings.
Council members did have hard questions about when public engagement meetings would take place and just how much space there would be for public use.
Sharman on how the high school space is going to be used.
The route to that $100 million price
And again users on her social media are directed to her website to read this thing where she answers questions she chooses to raise, and there is therefore no opportunity for back and forth and the messaging as usual is all controlled by her. It’s utterly one sided. And as you suggest here, apparently doesn’t jive with what was said at the council meeting and is low on real details.
This isn’t engagement and it isn’t transparency and it’s getting really old. The number of people seeing through this is growing rapidly. How much time is spent on writing these supposed answers on her website, writing complaint letters to the Spectator when she doesn’t like a sentence in a Joan Little article, etc etc. It’s become embarrassingly predictable.
The Mayor isn’t good with details.
Construction of Phase 2 of the Bateman Project doesn’t start before the Phase 1 construction is complete. That’s June 30, 2025 at the earliest.
The Stage 2 she is referring to is part of Phase 1.