I don't really buy the concerns that increasing density is incompatible with maintaining historical neighbourhoods. I live in a historical neighbourhood -- Uptown Waterloo -- which has successfully intensified while preserving its historic roots. And the level of intensification in Uptown is much more than Kitchener is asking of the Westmount and Aud neighbourhoods. Maybe they could look at what has been done in Uptown to see how to do it successfully?
There are so many great examples of how to do this well! It may very well be worth highlighting some of the great examples locally to show people the possibilities - maybe there's a future Citified post in the works!
I spoke with Councillor Johnston today. It’s a small section of Westmount that she’s asking protection for. Many of those houses are historically significant. I support their exemption. But I think there is lots of Westmount available for increased density, 6 or 8 storeys… why not?
Thanks for sharing. I chatted with her as well before writing this as I wanted to make sure I understood why she felt this was a good amendment (as always, she was happy to make time for that conversation). Given the number of cautions staff shared in the report about the importance to see growth in all neighbourhoods, not just some, and the fact that there was so much public engagement on this which seems to be set aside for these amendments, I can't support the exemptions myself. As someone who has spent most of my life living in non-single detached homes, I'm left wondering why it's okay for some neighbourhoods (full of great amenities) to say that families like mine shouldn't also have a place in these neighbourhoods.
I live in Ward 10, but close enough to the ION corridor to have nearby 40+ storey buildings approved. 6 storey buildings should be easily agreed upon, with no exemptions.
In reality it all amounts to a complete fraud perpetrated by the 'developers and real estate agents'!
300 million to build 300 homes as earlier reported. Not very low cost housing for the people but simply lining the pockets again of the developers and real estate profiteers.Look at Heartwood Place.
A 'charitable' organization sucking from the teat of all 4 levels of government in our region. The entire cost of building of Heartwood Place on Ainslie street was covered by Federal, Provincial, Municipal and City of Cambridge taxpayers. Back in 2011, when built, Heartwood Place was created for Heartwood Corporation for 10 million dollars. All tax payers money. Since then, relying on public generosity thru numerous fund raisers, the profiteers who run Heartwood only added to their windfall.
Trillium funding applications for a playground that has never been developed and a 'community room' for tenants has NEVER been available to the tenants. In fact the Management has deemed that no children of tenants can play in the area or ride their bicycles on the property as it is 'unsafe' for the children to do so because of traffic traversing the parking lot.
Now Heartwood Corporation is aiming to sell Heartwood Place. Will that sale result in the return of the taxpayers money to the City or Province or anyone other than these stakeholders in name only?
The simplest investigation would easily expose such fraud and profiteering. FOIA requests for tax dollars invested along with profits shared by the Board and its members. How much in Trillium Funding has been awarded to a community room never available to the tenants or for a playground never developed from the patch of gravel that it remains today?
Taxpayer funding is only a route to enrich the developers and the profiteering real estate brokers who suck as much public funding from the system as they can. All of it in the end not benefiting the low income tenants who will shortly lose their homes.
Faked benevolence and community driven efforts are used for cover as the profiteers once again are the only winners.
Thanks for your important reporting work here!
Thanks for the heads up Melissa. Email sent to my councillor asking him to oppose this amendment.
Thanks for doing that!
I don't really buy the concerns that increasing density is incompatible with maintaining historical neighbourhoods. I live in a historical neighbourhood -- Uptown Waterloo -- which has successfully intensified while preserving its historic roots. And the level of intensification in Uptown is much more than Kitchener is asking of the Westmount and Aud neighbourhoods. Maybe they could look at what has been done in Uptown to see how to do it successfully?
There are so many great examples of how to do this well! It may very well be worth highlighting some of the great examples locally to show people the possibilities - maybe there's a future Citified post in the works!
I spoke with Councillor Johnston today. It’s a small section of Westmount that she’s asking protection for. Many of those houses are historically significant. I support their exemption. But I think there is lots of Westmount available for increased density, 6 or 8 storeys… why not?
Thanks for sharing. I chatted with her as well before writing this as I wanted to make sure I understood why she felt this was a good amendment (as always, she was happy to make time for that conversation). Given the number of cautions staff shared in the report about the importance to see growth in all neighbourhoods, not just some, and the fact that there was so much public engagement on this which seems to be set aside for these amendments, I can't support the exemptions myself. As someone who has spent most of my life living in non-single detached homes, I'm left wondering why it's okay for some neighbourhoods (full of great amenities) to say that families like mine shouldn't also have a place in these neighbourhoods.
I live in Ward 10, but close enough to the ION corridor to have nearby 40+ storey buildings approved. 6 storey buildings should be easily agreed upon, with no exemptions.
In reality it all amounts to a complete fraud perpetrated by the 'developers and real estate agents'!
300 million to build 300 homes as earlier reported. Not very low cost housing for the people but simply lining the pockets again of the developers and real estate profiteers.Look at Heartwood Place.
A 'charitable' organization sucking from the teat of all 4 levels of government in our region. The entire cost of building of Heartwood Place on Ainslie street was covered by Federal, Provincial, Municipal and City of Cambridge taxpayers. Back in 2011, when built, Heartwood Place was created for Heartwood Corporation for 10 million dollars. All tax payers money. Since then, relying on public generosity thru numerous fund raisers, the profiteers who run Heartwood only added to their windfall.
Trillium funding applications for a playground that has never been developed and a 'community room' for tenants has NEVER been available to the tenants. In fact the Management has deemed that no children of tenants can play in the area or ride their bicycles on the property as it is 'unsafe' for the children to do so because of traffic traversing the parking lot.
Now Heartwood Corporation is aiming to sell Heartwood Place. Will that sale result in the return of the taxpayers money to the City or Province or anyone other than these stakeholders in name only?
The simplest investigation would easily expose such fraud and profiteering. FOIA requests for tax dollars invested along with profits shared by the Board and its members. How much in Trillium Funding has been awarded to a community room never available to the tenants or for a playground never developed from the patch of gravel that it remains today?
Taxpayer funding is only a route to enrich the developers and the profiteering real estate brokers who suck as much public funding from the system as they can. All of it in the end not benefiting the low income tenants who will shortly lose their homes.
Faked benevolence and community driven efforts are used for cover as the profiteers once again are the only winners.