Author: opsfr

Orchard Park Sherwood Forest Neighbourhood Association is a London, Ontario, Canada based neighbourhood organization serving the Orchard Park and Sherwood Forest areas of London. The area is approximately bounded on the west by Wonderland Road, Sarnia Road on the South, Gainsborough Road to the North, the University of Western Ontario and the Medway Valley.

Master Mobility Plan and the Medway ESA

The City of London is developing a new mobility plan which could affect the Medway Environmentally Significant Area (ESA).  You may have gone to one of the open houses for this City project.  You may also have left a comment or sent one to mmp@london.ca or you may have gone to the City web site where the proposed mobility plan is located:  https://getinvolved.london.ca/mobility-master-plan

It has come to the attention of the Executive of the Neighbourhood Association that there is a draft proposal to once again bridge the Medway Creek with a major structure for pedestrians and bikes. Because of Medway Creek’s flood characteristics, the bridge would be like the ones north of Fanshawe Park Road (see below), and not the recently renewed little bridge below the staircase which bridges a tributary. 

For almost 30 years, the large majority of residents of Orchard Park/Sherwood Forest have enjoyed the ESA as is, without additional urbanization.  City Council has agreed, most recently in 2021 when the latest Conservation Master Plan for the ESA was passed.  You can find the Plan at:  https://getinvolved.london.ca/21185/widgets/85752/documents/117643

The Orchard Park / Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association has sent a letter to City staff opposing a bridge and encouraging the City to work with us to sign the area for bike riders to more easily cross east to west without new infrastructure in the ESA. 

We recognize that there are new residents since this issue came up the last time.  We encourage everyone to have a say, either through the city’s web site, by e mail to mmp@london.ca or by letting the Neighborhood Association executive know at opsfrp@gmail.com

It is anticipated that sometime this year, City staff will table the Master Mobility Plan and the proposed timeline for projects at a meeting of a committee of City Council.  Projects (road widenings, bus lanes, new BRT or bike lanes, etc.) will be proposed to be built over some time period.  This possible bridge could be 10 years away or it could be sooner.  Council may change the order of projects or funding for specific projects may come from other levels of government to bump up projects.  Hence, the Executive’s concern about this project, one that has been consistently rejected by residents in the neighbourhood and multiple City Councils. 

Proposed high rise at Sherwood Forest Mall

Here are displays from the owner of Sherwood Forest Mall for the building they plan to build at the west side of the mall property (near the Beer Store).  The City Council will review the proposal in the new year.  If approved, the owners want to start building sometime in 2025 with completion likely to take until 2026.

Community Information Session November 13 – Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment at 299 & 307 Sarnia Road

At the information session, the consultant will go over the history of the project and the changes to the original application for everyone’s information.  It is a different concept than we first heard about. The flyer with further information is available here.

Rezoning updates – Sarnia Road

REZONING AT 279 SARNIA ROAD FOR TWO – 3 STORY BUILDINGS

This application will be heard at a public participation meeting at City Hall this Tuesday, October 22, around 1:45 pm (the meeting is also on line.  If you wish to speak on line, write pec@london.ca prior to the meeting).  The two buildings will have a total of 20 units, each with 3 bedrooms.  The full report is available here.  Your Executive is supportive of this application because it will be managed by the builder who is a local builder, is not as tall as currently permitted and has fewer bedrooms than permitted. 

REZONING AT 299-307 SARNIA ROAD

There will be an information session on the revised proposal for development of these two properties.  The session will occur on November 13th starting at 6 pm at St. Ansgar Church, in the Church hall.  St. Ansgar is at the corner of Lawson and Wonderland (with lots of parking).  Members of your Executive are meeting with Councillor Trosow and the proponent’s consultants prior to the session.  After our meeting, there will be more information as to what is proposed.