Neighborhood News – May 2024

ORCHARD PARK/SHERWOOD FOREST GARAGE SALE – Saturday, May 11 from 8 am – noon

The annual community garage sale is coming up on Saturday, May 11. You may have seen the notices on mailboxes.  If spring cleaning has left you with things you would like to sell or even give away, here is a chance.  All you need to do is have a table at the end of your driveway.  No table?  Try tarps or plastic bags on your lawn or driveway.

DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL FOR 279 SARNIA ROAD – INFORMATION SESSION MAY 15th, at University Heights Public School, pre-registration required

The planning consultants for the proponent will be providing information on the proposed development of 20, three-storey stacked townhouse dwellings: 10 three-storey back-to-back townhouses fronting Sarnia Road, and 10 three-storey back-to-back townhouses located at the rear of the property.  There is still some question on whether or not limits on the number of bedrooms per unit in Near Campus Neighbourhoods will continue. 

Additional developments along Sarnia Road are expected as Sarnia Road’s classification allows for higher density than what currently exists.

If you or a neighbour are unable to attend the open house but still wish to make comments, please submit them by email to danieli.s@zpplan.com or in writing by mail to:

Zelinka Priamo Ltd.
Attn: Danieli Sikelero Elsenbruch, Planner
318 Wellington Road
London, ON, N6C 4P4

COMMUNITY BBQ AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – starting at 6 pm on Tuesday, May 28th

We will be having our 8th annual BBQ along with our annual general meeting at Orchard Park Public School.  The BBQ starts at 6 pm, with the meeting following at 7:30.  There will be information from the City’s Transportation and Waste Management staff, a City Hall update and Q and A with Councillor Trosow, a Treasurer’s report and election of the Executive.   (We have one vacancy on the Executive if you are interested).

NEIGHBOURHOOD DECISION MAKING: EXTENDING THE DEADLINE FOR YOUR IDEAS

If you are still thinking about ideas for Neighbourhood Decision Making, you are in luck – the deadline to send ideas to Gina and Doug has been extended to May 15th

For more information, please contact either: 

WE NEED YOUR IDEAS!! 

The City of London organizes an annual Neighbourhood Decision Making Program that encourages neighbourhoods to identify needs and come up with ideas to make their neighbourhood stronger, safer, connected, and vibrant! Last year the Orchard Park / Sherwood Forest neighbourhoods received City funding for Picnic Tables in Sherwood Forest Park valued at $13,000! 

Residents submit their ideas to the City and everyone gets to vote on which ideas they want to see come to life. That’s what makes this program special — the community gets to decide! 

This City program started in 2016…if you want to get some ideas from previous winners click here (https://getinvolved.london.ca/21609/widgets/131899/documents/87224) some examples include: 

  • Park upgrades
  • Save the Bees & Butterflies Pollinator Gardens
  • Upgraded hiking paths
  • Little libraries
  • Community benches

The Orchard Park / Sherwood Forest Neighbourhood Association Executive would like to champion this amazing opportunity in our neighbourhood for the 2024 campaign. But to make this work – WE NEED YOUR IDEAS!! 

Next steps: 

1.       Think about our neighbourhood and what sort of amenities and improvements would benefit our residents. Discuss the ideas with your neighbours. Check out previous ideas from other winners at the link that was supplied above. 

2.       Send your ideas to opsfrp@gmail.com by May 15. 

3.       We will present a list of ideas at our 8th Annual Community BBQ and Annual General Meeting on Tues 28 May 2024 at Orchard Park Public School. We’ll ask those attending the AGM to vote on where the Executive should devote their energies to help make that idea come out on top during the City selection period. 

·City wide voting will occur in Aug-Sept 2024. 

Lastly, but importantly, many hands make light work, and so if you are interested in supporting our project proposal and have a few hours to volunteer between May and Sept 2024, then please reach out to Doug or Gina and we’ll let you know how to support the Project! 

Neighbourhood Update

Medway Valley
The updated consultant’s report is available for review at the Sherwood Forest branch library.  Just ask at the front desk for its location.  The report is also available on line at:

Click to access Medway%20NHI-Eval-Final%20Report-Public%20Use-Jan2015.pdf

There will be a City staff report to a committee of City Council this winter and shortly after, the Local Advisory Committee will begin to meet.  Stay tuned for updates.  The Valley continues to impress the consultants with its wide variety of species including species at risk, which is unusual for an urban setting.

Super Mailboxes
Where will the new super mailboxes be located?  According to City staff, there will be a report to a Committee of City Council on February 3.  It is likely the Civic Works Committee.  You can get the report on line a few days ahead of the meeting at
http://www.london.ca/city-hall/meetings/Pages/default.aspx

The short answer is that it is highly likely that super mailboxes will only be located where there is a sidewalk.  Apparently Canada Post has already started providing the city with proposed locations in various parts of the City that currently have door-to-door delivery.

Continue reading “Neighbourhood Update”

October Update

Sherwood Forest School Site

The rezoning of the Sherwood Forest School site passed City Council last night. The next step is for the city to prepare a Request for Proposal for the sale of the 2/3rds of the site that will be developed for housing in accordance with the zoning by law. We will update you when we hear any further news. We will also need to encourage our new City Councillor to get 7 other members of Council to add money to the 2015 budget for park amenities.

Continue reading “October Update”

August Neighbourhood Newsletter‏

Sherwood Forest School Site

City staff will be mailing a notice of the next City-led community meeting on the proposed re-zoning of the school site. Keep an eye out for it. The goal continues to be for staff to have a recommendation in front of the City’s Planning Committee this fall.

London Plan

The London Plan is the city’s new land use plan. It is to be presented for approval to the new council in late winter or early spring 2015. There are many changes to land use planning which have the potential to have an impact on all neighbourhoods including ours. More about these changes in future e-mails, but here are just two:

Continue reading “August Neighbourhood Newsletter‏”

Letter to City Planner

Following the June 16 meeting and the vote on the School Site, this letter was sent from the Orchard Park/Sherwood Forest Ratepayers to the City Planner who is handling the City’s rezoning application for the site. The letter expresses support for the re-zoning application of the Sherwood Forest Public School site,