N E W
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014
W E S T M I N S T E R
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www.royalcityrecord.com ◗ PLANNING
Academy proposal ignites opposition BY NIKI HOPE REPORTER
nhope@royalcityrecord.com
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Sweet ideas: Samantha Black, left, and Sadie Campbell check out some of the entries in the gingerbread house competition at River Market. The competition was one of the events in the Festival of Trees, which also includes a tree decorating competition for local schools. It was all part of the Christmas fun happening Saturday following the Santa Claus Parade.
A Queen’s Park independent school’s bid to expand its footprint by tearing down and building over an adjacent apartment site is stirring up controversy before it has even gone to a public hearing. Recently elected Mayor Jonathan Cote told The Record he has already heard from concerned residents, who are either for or against the Urban Academy expansion project. He has received emails from eager parents who want the school built and those who fear an expansion will mean more traffic. Opponents also say the new building won’t fit in with the existing neighbourhood and will diminish rental stock. “I think this will probably be the first controversial public hearing that this council will face,” Cote said. Betina Ali has lived in the apartment building at 228 Manitoba St. for 16 ◗Urban Academy Page 5
New apartment block proposed for fire site BY THERESA MCMANUS REPORTER tmcmanus@royalcityrecord.com
As 2014 comes to an end, a four-storey apartment is being proposed on the site of a devastating fire at the beginning of the year. On Jan. 31, fire destroyed a three-storey apartment at 404 Ash St., leaving about 30
people without homes. Community members and groups quickly rallied together to help the tenants find new homes and replace their belongings. On Dec. 8, council received a preliminary report about a development permit application that would allow a four-storey building with 38 residential units to be built over one level of below-grade
parking. The report states that all of the units in the Brow of the Hill building would be rental. According to a staff report, the applicant is proposing to build 33 one-bedroom units and five two-bedroom units, and provide 48 parking spaces. The Kenbar apartment that was destroyed by fire was a three-storey building with 29
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rental units. In addition to the report to council, other steps in the project review process include an open house by the applicant and a review of the site development and architectural design by the city’s design panel. Staff will then report to council about issuing a development permit. Twitter/@TheresaMcManus
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