As a follow-up to a meeting between the Orchard Park Sherwood Forest Ratepayers Executive, Councillor Nancy Branscombe, and Ross Fair, Executive Director, Community Services Department for the City of London, regarding the potential loss of the green space adjacent to Sherwood Forest Public School, the Ratepayers received an analysis of park space for the entire neighborhood. Highlights are:
Taken as a whole, the Orchard Park-Sherwood Forest community (bounded by Gainsborough, Wonderland, Sarnia Roads and the Medway Valley/Ramsey Road/Brescia Lane) meets the established standards for parkland….
There is an argument to be made for the addition of active park infrastructure (e.g. pathways, play structure) in this community. Currently, no investments dollars are on the horizon for at least the next 5 years. Although current city properties are not ideal locations, such investments are possible, provided consent of local neighbours. Acquisition of new lands, is not necessarily required for these purposes.
The full analysis is available here.
Brescia is applying for a land use change and rezoning of the south side of Ramsay Road for parking! The application includes all of Brescia’s land on the west side of Brescia Lane from Ramsay Road to Sarnia Road, although it appears at this time that only the treed area between Ramsay and Brescia’s maintenance building is proposed to be paved and lighted for parking.
The process is that the planner will gather comments and write a report to City Council`s Built and Natural Environment Committee. A date for the public meeting where the application will be considered will be advertised in the Living in London section of the Free Press and the City’s web site.
Concerns and questions should be addressed by September 30th to the city planner, Michael Tomazincic, whose contact information appears below.
1285 Western Road (southwest portion) on the lands immediately to the west of Brescia Lane, south of Ramsay Road. The purpose and effect of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments is to permit the relocation of the existing parking lot, currently located on the north side of Ramsay Road, to the subject site and to recognize the existing Physical Plant, Administration Offices, and ESL School Administration Offices as conforming land uses. Possible amendment to the Official Plan by amending Schedule A – Land Use – FROM Low Density Residential TO Regional Facility. Possible amendment to the Zoning By-law Z.-1 FROM a Residential R1 (R1-10) Zone which permits one Single Detached dwelling TO a Regional Facility (RF) Zone which permits: Adult secondary schools; Churches; Commercial parking structures and/or lots; Commercial schools; Community colleges; Day care centres; Elementary schools; Emergency care establishments; Group Home Type 2; Hospitals; Institutional uses; Libraries; Nursing homes; Private schools; Recreational buildings; Secondary schools; Stadia; Supervised residences; and, Ancillary residential and/or hostels and accommodations, together with permitted uses in this zone.
File: OZ-7955 Planner: Michael Tomazincic, mtomazin@london.ca, 519-661-2500 ext 4693
Please note: Comments and opinions submitted on these matters, including the originator’s name and address, become part of the public record, may be viewed by the general public and may be published in a Planning Report and Council Agenda. If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of London before the application is adopted or approved, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision of the Municipal Council or the Approval Authority of the City of London to the Ontario Municipal Board. If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of London before the proposed amendment is adopted or approved, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Municipal Board unless, in the opinion of the Board, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you wish to view additional information or material relating to these applications, the files are available to the public at the Planning Division, 206 Dundas Street, Monday to Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm. Key maps for the lands described in these applications are not provided as they are available for review at the offices noted above.
*Please ensure you reference the File Number or address in all communications.
An update from Sandy Levin –
END OF AN ERA – SHERWOOD FOREST P.S. TO CLOSE
A BOUNDARY REVIEW FOR ORCHARD PARK P.S.
Before I start, I wanted to thank everyone who has been involved in this process. That includes those who toughed it out at the Board meeting this week (we didn’t get a decision until almost 11 pm), those who made presentations to the Board and to the ARC and of course, to the members of the ARC who spent a lot of time and effort on a good solution, only to have most of it disregarded by school board staff.
At the school board meeting of June 28th, the Board voted to close Sherwood Forest Public School as of June 30, 2013. It also agreed not to declare the site surplus any earlier than June 30, 2013 which gives the community the two years to try and find a way to keep the site as an important part of our neighbourhood.
(As an aside, this week, a couple of members of the ratepayers executive met with a representative from the city’s Community Services Department to point out that there is no city owned playground equipment in the entire area. This helped her to understand why the District Park on the other side of Wonderland Road is not our community park space.)
In addition to voting to close Sherwood Forest P.S., the school board agreed to do a boundary review prior to the closing that would look at the school boundaries for Orchard Park P.S. This was because the projected enrollment for Orchard Park after 2013 is still under the school’s capacity. This review is a good thing. For one reason, an enrollment near to or even slightly over capacity would avoid having another school closure hanging over the community’s head. The other reason is that it may lead to better gym facilities being provided for Orchard Park, something the parents there have asked for. The only odd thing about the boundary review is that this idea was raised by the ARC during the process (as a means to keep Sherwood Forest P.S. open), but it was rejected by the administrative representative from the Board to the ARC.
Another strange moment at the Board meeting was when the senior superintendent presenting the report argued against giving the community more than two years to find an alternative to keep public access to the space. She stated that the Administration already gave one more year due to public input. This is simply not the case. The Board’s administrative recommendation at the start of the ARC was to close the school in June 2012, but during the ARC process (the October, 2010 meeting which I attended), the administrative representative indicated to the ARC that due to time lines required for design, tender and build, it would be June 2013 before Sherwood Forest would be closed. Unfortunately, due to Board processes, none of us in the audience could correct the record, and it is likely this “misstatement” kept some of the trustees from pursing the idea of retaining the site longer.
Councillor Branscombe has already given assurances that she will work with city staff to see what can be done to keep the space the school board currently owns; available for public access. I will keep you informed as this plays out.
The meeting at the Board of Education on May 24th went well. Those who presented did a great job of letting the trustees know the importance of the schools to our neighbourhood. People spoke strongly about the importance of the green space and making sure Orchard Park P.S. is ready for new students, particularly in getting a better gym. Thanks to everyone who spoke at the meeting and to those who attended.
The Trustees asked a number of questions and the Board Administration was tasked with providing some answers prior to the Board’s June 28th meeting when the Trustees are scheduled to vote on this matter.
At this point, it is anticipated that the Administration will continue to recommend Sherwood Forest P.S. be closed and the site declared surplus. It is up to the Trustees though and hopefully, letters to them and being in the gallery on the 28th will have an impact.
If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact Sandy Levin s.levin@sympatico.ca
Orchard Park / Sherwood Forest Neighborhood Association 