February 15, 2018: Letters to Newswest;
Rochester Park Decision Deferred.
By Gary Ludington.
On January 23rd Planning Committee heard from quite a few residents regarding the NCC’s new proposal for Rochester Park. The agreement between the City and the NCC had no development on the West part of the Park property. What was passed by Committee was at a minimum a six storey wall along Richmond Road from the Keg Manor to the back yards of the homes on Fraser Ave. – something similar to the Ashcroft development blocking the views of the convent.
In essence, we went from having a major green open corridor to the Ottawa River to having a wall blocking our enviable view.
This item went to Council on January 31st where we have no opportunity to speak. But the community could and did send letters and emails to the Mayor and Council asking that the proposal go back to staff so the community could be engaged in perhaps a planning charrette with the City and the NCC to see if there wasn’t a better solution that was a win/win for all. Council agreed up to a point. The final decision has been deferred so City and NCC staff can meet to see if there is a solution that comes closer to what was presented in 2016. Let’s hope we don’t end up with a wall spoiling the vista we have enjoyed for longer than we can remember.
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