Community Centre and School Property Redevelopment

(update: Dec 1st, 2009)

25 Esquimault Redevelopment:
As part of the QGPCA AGM, a public meeting was held with respect to the present community centre and residual land redevelopment associated with 25 Esquimault.   This proposal involves the replacement of the community centre, demolition of the existing structures and remediation of the site with respect to the oil contamination under the school building.  This is the best of a bad situation, and it could have been much worse (see the Morrison Development Update as a reference).
 
The proposal can be found at www.qualicum.org website.
 
The next steps are:

  • consolidate input form the pulbic meeting
  • City staff to report back to council in Dec 2009 (my fingers are crossed) with recommendations to go to an RFP.
  • City staff to issue the RFP in Jan 2010
  • Report to council in April 2010 for approval of preferred proposal.
 
Timelines are those driven by the city.  I've seen many of them come and go but the QGPCA will continue to apply as much pressure as we can to get this across the goal line.
 
For further information please contact president@qualicum.org.
 

(update: Jan 25th, 2009)

The QGPCA is working with the city on a multi-stage process:

Stage 1: A Community Centre (CC) consultation committee has worked with the city on the block layout of a new community centre facility. This stage is now closed.
Stage 2: Redevelopment RFP creation. A committee is being formed to consult with the city on specifying specific community requirements for redevelopment of the school site. Immediately affected neighbours are invited to join for constructive input by contacting president@qualicum.org. A series of 3 or 4 meetings of 2 to 4 hours each is anticipated to close this stage.
Stage 3: General public consultation of site and CC building.: Scheduled March/April 08.
Stage 4: Council approval of the RFP and selection Criteria
Stage 5: RFP to developers
Stage 6: Developer Selection
Stage 7: Building of new CC
Stage 8: Redevelopment and decontamination of existing site.

(update)

The City has purchased the property. However, at this point the Community Association has received little information from the city regarding next steps. More information will be available in late August.

The City of Ottawa is considering purchasing 25 Esquimault. Our community centre and a couple of private schools sit on this property. According to a report by City staff, "It now appears that the original school building on the site has reached a state of repair that makes its retention uneconomical and demolition of the building and sale of the property in the near future is likely." The City estimates it will spend $100,000 annually, for 25 years, to clean the soil contaminated from the school’s leaking oil tanks.

(updated April 11, 2008)

The City of Ottawa is considering purchasing 25 Esquimault. Our community centre and a couple of private schools sit on this property. According to a report by City staff, "It now appears that the original school building on the site has reached a state of repair that makes its retention uneconomical and demolition of the building and sale of the property in the near future is likely." The City estimates it will spend $100,000 annually, for 25 years, to clean the soil contaminated from the school’s leaking oil tanks.

The City's proposal includes purchasing and cleaning the property. It would then retain a portion of the property for community use and a community centre. The rest of the property would be redeveloped for housing. The type of housing developed would be controlled by a community development corporation that allows for the placement of restrictive covenants onto builders that would otherwise be impossible. The proposal was presented to a committee of City Council on April 15th. It was approved. It will go to full Council for a vote on April 23rd.

Generally, the Community Association Executive supports the plan. Although this might not be the most preferred use of the property from the community's perspective, it might be the best considering the alternatives. The Executive does have some concerns about having enough space to expand community programming, land use, and the proposed residential development. However, it appears likely that this property will be redeveloped. Considering that the property is zoned as Institutional, it is in the community’s best interest that the City, in consultation with the community, set the redevelopment parameters.

The current status and City proposal cannot be easily summarized in this space. For more details and a link to the City report, visit www.qualicum.org. It is expected a community meeting will be called in the near future to further discuss this issue.

The following link takes you the report City staff prepared regarding the property:

http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/csedc/2008/04-15/ACS2008-BTS-RPM-0016%20(25%20Esquimault%20Ave)%20FINAL.htm