2nd public information session for Sarnia Road widening‏

The city is holding the 2nd public information session regarding the widening of Sarnia from Wonderland to Sleightholme on Tuesday June 1, 2010 at St. Thomas More School, 18 Wychwood Park. It is a drop-in open house from 4:30 to 7:30 pm.

The recommendations are:

  • Widen the road to 5 lanes
  • Restrict left turns at the west leg of Castlegrove and Sarnia
  • At Sarnia and Wonderland:
    – provide for a future double southbound left from Sarnia
    – remove all right turn islands at the intersection
  • Relocate the pedestrian signals at Rippleton to just east of the intersection
  • Restrict left turns at Leyton Cres
  • Provide on street cyling lanes
  • Provide noise barriers only as required based on City policy

For further information contact either Doug MacRae at the city dmacrae@london.ca or the consultant, Sabrina Stanlake, sstanlake@dillon.ca

Annual General Meeting – June 3, 2010

The Annual General Meeting of the Orchard Park Sherwood Forest Ratepayers Group will take place on June 3, 2010 at 7 pm at St. Thomas More School.

Councillor Nancy Branscombe will join us to help update the neighbourhood.

Glen Matthews will attend to update us on student housing issues.

Jeff Fielding, the City’s Chief Administrative Officer has also been invited.

Among the current issues facing the neighborhood:

Proposed closing of Sherwood Forest Public Schoo: The public school board has proposed closing Sherwood Forest Public School. If the school is closed, which could be as early as 2012, the future of the school buildings and property is unknown; they could be sold and the land use changed.

If the school must close, we can urge the Board to hold on to the property, finding uses for it that will not change the fabric of our neighbourhood. Right now, the City’s proposed Great Near Campus Neighbourhoods’ Strategy is stalled. Current land use rules provide a new owner with a great deal of flexibility in what could be built on the site.

Medway Valley: The City continues to propose building an access road and bridge for pedestrians and maintenance vehicles over the Medway River. City Council has placed a moratorium on paved, multi-use pathways in all Environmentally Significant Areas. Please contact Councillor Nancy Branscombe for more information.

Overnight street parking: City council has voted to allow over night, on-street parking from Victoria Day to Labour Day. The vote is subject to final approval in May. It includes a caveat that some streets could be exempt. If you do not want on-street parking this summer, contact Councillor Branscombe at nancy@nanbran.com or 519-432-1100.

Update on Sherwood Forest School

The London Free Press featured a story on the proposed closing of Sherwood Forest school.

The next meeting of the Sherwood Forest Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) is Wednesday May 5th at 7:00 p.m. at Orchard Park elementary school.

Jane’s Walk London – Medway Valley walk

Jane’s Walk will be taking place in London on May 2, 2010.

Jane’s Walk is a series of free neighbourhood walking tours that helps put people in touch with their environment and with each other, by bridging social and geographic gaps and creating a space for cities to discover themselves.

As part of the event, there will be walk in the Medway Valley Heritage Forest.

Starting location: Entrance to Medway Valley next to the Precious Blood Monastery, Ramsey Road and Kininvie Drive

Date: Sunday, May 2, 2010

Time: 2:00 pm

Duration: 45 to 60 minutes

For more information on Jane’s Walk London, including descriptions of the other walks taking place, see http://janeswalklondon.com/