Tag: student housing

Great Near-Campus Neighbourhoods Strategy meeting – Nov 19

A community meeting has been scheduled to discuss the vision and goals for London’s near-campus neighbourhoods.

Date: Thursday, November 19
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Location: St. Peter’s Basilica Cathedral Auditorium, 506 Richmond Street

This City-led meeting relates to possible changes to the Great Near Campus policies of the City. These policies include the limit on the number of bedrooms for new housing. As these policies are important to the quality of our neighbourhood, you are encouraged to attend. If you can’t make it, but would like to comment, contact the City’s Planner listed on the flyer.

Background information on these policies, including the Terms of Reference for this review, can be found at the following URL:

http://www.london.ca/business/Planning-Development/current-topics/Pages/GreatNearCampus.aspx

Fall Neighborhood News

Federal Election

You should be getting your voter information card soon. It should list your polling place. If you don’t receive one, you can check the Elections Canada web site to see if your name is listed – http://www.elections.ca – or call 1-866-249-5752
Continue reading “Fall Neighborhood News” →

Neighborhood News – May 2014

Sherwood Forest School Site – Community Planning Meeting

Please be sure to come out to the second community planning exercise for the Sherwood Forest School site. The session will be held Wednesday, May 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Brescia University College, in the new Clare Hall, Mercato Room. If you can’t make the meeting, comments can be sent to the City of London attention Brian Turcotte at bturcott@london.ca

Medway Valley ESA

Join us on our introductory walk-through of the Medway ESA {Environmentally Significant Area} that we have adopted!

A city of London Ecologist, Ms. Linda McDougall, will accompany us to point out areas of interest and answer your questions. We are planning a ‘Buckthorn Busting’ event for June too. Come along and learn how to be good stewards of our beautiful valley.

Continue reading “Neighborhood News – May 2014” →

Community Update

Project Learn Meeting – Student Housing

Please attend and be heard on Wednesday, November 13th from 7 to 10 PM at City Hall in Council Chambers, at a Public Meeting which is being held to solicit the views of various community members around the issues of policing and managing disruptive behaviours around the University and Fanshawe.

Over the last several years, a police program called Project Learn seems to be having positive impacts on improving the quality of harmony between short term and long term residents while managing problems on a more real-time basis

However, the recent police actions of going door to door and taking contact information has generated controversy. Hence, this upcoming meeting.

Please Keep those Catch Basins Clear

With the frost, many leaves have fallen and catch basins can get covered and blocked. With heavy rains, run off has nowhere to go causing flooding in the street or worse. Please take the time to keep the catch basins near your home clear.

Sherwood Forest School Grafitti

Residents have noticed graffiti popping up at the Sherwood Forest School site. The Thames Valley School Board has been notified and has taken quick action to remove it. If you see the graffiti return, please do two things. First notify the non emergency police number. They increase patrols in the area based on call volume. The number is 519-661-5670. The other thing you can do is let Sandy Levin know and he will notify the area supervisor for the school board who will take action to have it removed.

August newsletter

University Matters
The new student residence (Ontario Hall) on Sarnia Road is open. Some questions and concerns have been raised about lighting and jaywalking already. Please report any difficulties to the following:

  • Traffic flows/design: City Transportation Planning, Maged Elmadhoon, M.Eng., P.Eng., Manager, Transportation Planning, City of London, 519-661-2500 x 4934, melmadho@london.ca or Mark Ridley, Senior Technologist, x 4736, mridley@london.ca
  • Street lighting: Shane Maguire, Division Manager of Roadway Lighting & Traffic Control, 519-661-2500 x 8488, SMaguire@london.ca (Shane advises that there are no plans to upgrade the lighting on Sarnia Road at this time but he’ll keep it in mind for future work.) For calls about street light or traffic light outages, call 519 661-2641
  • Jaywalking/speeding: London Police Services, 519-661-5670
  • Jaywalking: Glenn Matthews, Housing Mediation Officer, Western University, glenn@housing.uwo.ca or 519-661-3787. Glenn is also the contact if you are having trouble with tenants who are renting a house in your area.

Brescia’s new residence and dining facility has its opening ceremony during the morning of September 6th. Brescia reminds everyone in the neighbourhood that its new Dining Pavilion is being designed with a view to inviting the community in, and to providing spaces to gather and connect, whether that be over a coffee or lunch.

Rental Housing
If you do see any new “for rent” signs spring up, please let Sandy Levin know and he can send the information along to the city to determine if the rental property has been licensed.

Sherwood Forest School Site
The school board will declare the site surplus on September 10th. It will then be made available to public bodies listed in Regulation 444/98. Each body will have 90 days to submit an offer. If no offers are received, the school board is free to sell it to anyone.

The following passed 10-4 at City Council this week. Opposed were Councillors Polhill, Swan, Armstrong, and Henderson. Councillor M. Brown had a conflict of interest because he works for the School Board and will not be voting on this matter.

Recommendation: That the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to review and report back to the Corporate Services Cte on Sept 24, 2013, on the following matters related to the surplus school property known as Sherwood Forest Public School
a) the potential acquisition of the subject property, on the basis that:
i) there is a municipal need for community green space for the adjacent neighbourhood; and
ii) the City of London’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan and Strengthening Neighbourhoods identifies a need for amenities in the neighbourhood; and
b) the potential severance and disposition of any portion of the subject property that might be declared surplus to the City of London’s needs and disposed of in accordance with the City of London’s Sale and Other Disposition of Land Policy, should Council decide to proceed with the acquisition of the subject property.

In short, the city will not be buying the site and then reselling it for a community use, but Council has asked for more information on severing the site and possibly retaining some park space. No dollar amount has been determined, nor is there money in the city budget for 2014 for this at this point. Councillor Branscombe shared with us that they did have some discussions with school board staff and it appears that the school board disposal process (after the public bodies have passed on the site) is a guide and not a mandated process by the Province. How the school board will proceed with interested parties will be up to the Trustees.

Traffic on Lawson Road
A speed and volume study was completed in June and here are the results:

  • Eastbound- 800 vehicles per day, average speed 45 km/hr., 85th percentile 54 km/hr.
  • Westbound- 700 vehicles per day, average speed 38 km/hr., 85th percentile 57 km/hr.

These results indicate Lawson is functioning as a normal secondary collector. Under the new policy this street would not qualify for traffic calming; front line mitigating measures would be used to address neighbourhood traffic concerns. The methods would include tools such as driver feedback boards (PEEP installed on street earlier this year), targeted police enforcement (specific neighbours who drive fast through the area), sign installation and pavement marking modifications.

School Trustee Appointment
Thames Valley District School Board trustees will be accepting applications to fill the trustee vacancy on the Board following the recent election of Trustee Peggy Sattler as MPP for London West. Ms. Sattler was one of two trustees who represented our area of the city. Applicants will be asked to complete an application form accompanied by a resume and proof of qualification. Interested candidates may obtain an application on the Board’s website at http://www.tvdsb.on.ca or in hard copy at the Thames Valley District School Board offices, 1250 Dundas Street.

Applications will be accepted by the Chairperson of the Board as indicated on the application up until 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, 2013. Following an interview process, a recommendation for appointment will be taken to the Board for approval. The successful applicant will complete the Boards’ current four-year term that expires on November 30, 2014. For More Information:
Joyce Bennett, Chair Thames Valley District School Board 1250 Dundas Street E. London N6A 5L1 519-452-2000 ext. 20219 j.bennett@tvdsb.on.ca

Councillor Compensation Survey
A Citizen Task Force is working on a recommendation to city council on the compensation for the Mayor and Council members beginning with the Council elected in the fall of next year. The Task Force has developed a survey that will shortly appear on the city’s web site (London.ca). You are encouraged to complete the survey. Hard copies will also be available at library branches.

From Neighbourhood Watch
Several phone calls have been reported where a recorded female voice says:

“Thanks for being a loyal Shoppers Drug Mart customer. You have won a free vacation from Shoppers Drug Mart. All you have to do is press number 1 on your phone to arrange to get it.”

Shoppers Drug Mart informed Police that they have received a number of complaints about these calls.
IMPORTANT:

  • Shoppers Drug Mart DOES NOT have a free vacation contest going on and this is indeed a scam.
  • If you do press 1 then you will be asked for your credit card information.
  • If you receive a call like this, Police suggest that you call Shoppers customer service to let them know, as it may assist them in an investigation.

TD Waterhouse Stadium Events
-Mon Sep 2 – Mustang Football vs Carleton 7pm
-Sat Sep 14 – Mustang Football vs Ottawa 1pm
-Sun Sep 15 – Beefeater Football 1pm
-Mon Sep 16 – United Way Football (1 game @ 9:30am)
-Tues Sep 17 – United Way Football (2 games @ 9:30am & 12pm)
-Wed Sep 18 – United Way Football (2 games @ 9:30am & 12pm)
-Fri Sep 20 – United Way Football (2 games @ 9:30am & 12pm)
-Tues Sep 24 – United Way Football (1 game @ 10:30am)
-Wed Sep 25 – United Way Football (1 game @ 10:30am)
-Thur Sep 26 – United Way Football (1 game @ 10:30am)
-Sat Sep 28 – Homecoming Football vs Queens 1pm
-Sat Sept 28 – Beefeater Football 8pm
– Sat Oct 19 – Mustang Football vs York 1pm
– Sat Oct 26, Nov 2, & 9 – Mustang Football Playoffs – tba 1pm
– Sat Nov 16 – Thames Valley High School Football 10am-10pm