September 21, 2014
I was pleased to announce earlier this week that the last of the appeals of the Northdale plan have now been settled and contains a key victory for the community.
The property owner at 275 Lester St. has agreed to convey land to the city within three years, allowing for the future building of a pedestrian corridor that will ultimately connect Phillip and Lester Streets. That corridor is a crucial part of the Northdale plan, connecting the middle of the neighbourhood to the future LRT station at the University of Waterloo. It was a significant priority for the community, and I have been working for the last few years to make sure it has been a priority for the city.
While there is not yet a connection on the Phillip St side, we made sure that the Northdale plan has strong tools to allow the city to secure it through future development. The lands on the Lester Street side were the more important ones to secure, as the remainder of the street had already been redeveloped in the last several years.
This is an important step in the continuing revitalization and reurbanization of the Northdale neighbourhood. Each new development is providing for a higher standard of design, with a mix of commercial and residential uses to support a vibrant community. Some of these are coming to Council on Monday.
The full decision of the Ontario Municipal Board contains the Minutes of Settlement for the Lester St appeal as well as the block between University, King, Hickory, and Fir St.