Tag: UWO

Students return to Western

CAMPUS ORIENTATION EVENTS

September 3, 7 pm, Opening ceremonies, Talbot “Bowl”
September 5, 7 to 10 pm, Rally and musical performances
September 6, 9 pm, Charity Carnival and Midway
Sept 8th, 7 pm to 11 pm, Concert in Talbot Bowl

Huron University College is also having a smaller musical performance on the 8th.

If the noise level is excessive and the events go beyond the scheduled time, call Campus Police at 519-661-3300. If you also let Sandy Levin know, he can pass the information along to the staff at Western who work with the Students’ Council in planning orientation.

STUDENT HOUSING CONCERNS?

The Housing Mediation Service at Western is a good source to contact right away if there are problems with new neighbours who are students. The phone number is 519-661-3787 or you can contact the office at housing.mediation.service@uwo.ca

Continue reading “Students return to Western” →

March Update

BRESCIA

As you may have noticed, Brescia will be starting the construction of its new residence and dining pavilion this spring. This will necessitate the removal of a number of mature trees from the north and south sides of Ramsay Road as well as the “courtyard” area between the Library and Ursuline Hall on the Brescia campus. Brescia has indicated that they plan to plant at least two trees for each one removed.

The parking lot will be moved to the southwest corner of Ramsay and Brescia Lane. To that end, Brescia has filed a revised application to amend the city’s Official Plan and zoning by law for its lands on the west side of Brescia Lane. The change is to permit a variety of uses at the corner from roughly the old Gunn House, north to Ramsay Road. The rest of the property, currently in a low density residential land use, will be changed to a Regional Facility use, but without a zoning change at this time. This clarifies that there are no current plans for developing the lands south to Sarnia Road. The details of the notice are included below.

A public participation meeting before the city’s Planning and Environment Committee will be held this spring at city hall. Information on the date and time will be posted when it is available.

SHERWOOD FOREST SCHOOL SITE

A group of ratepayers have been busy working on alternative uses for the school site. One set of options has been prepared by students at Fanshawe College. You can see these options presented to the community on March 21 at 7 pm at the Church of the Transfiguration, 33 Bromleigh.

An update to the community from the “school site group” of ratepayers will be at the upcoming annual general meeting. While a date has not yet been set, it is hoped to have this meeting around mid May this year. Stay tuned for details.

The city’s urban forester has advised us that there are ash trees on the school property. It is not known at this time when the Board will remove them or if they will be removed by a new owner.

WESTERN UNIVERSITY UPDATE

The university is undertaking a parking study. It has retained the firm, IBI Group, to do this work for them. The firm has been charged with looking at “everything,” according to staff quoted in the Western News. This includes lot types, designations and locations to alternative transportation options, traffic patterns and future needs.

Currently, the company is in the initial data-collection phase. Campus community involvement soon follows via surveys and focus groups over the next three or four months.

A final report is due in July. Those recommendations will be used to inform a parking master plan, which will be integrated into the campus master plan.

If you work on campus, please participate in the study.

MEDWAY VALLEY

There is no new information on when the Conservation Master Plan for the Valley will start. This will be managed by the City with most of the work done by consultants hired by the city. Unlike previous studies, this study will include the entire Valley within the city, including the section north of Fanshawe Park Road which was not included in previous work.

BRESCIA’s APPLICATION FOR A CHANGE IN LAND USE AND ZONING

Revised Notice – Southwest portion of 1285 Western Road on the lands immediately to the west of Brescia Lane, south of Ramsay Road. – The proposed amendment 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 on the subject lands. 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 Special Provision (RF(_)) Zone on only the northern portion of the subject lands to permit the following uses: Adult secondary schools; Churches; Commercial parking structures and/or lots; Commercial schools; Community colleges; Day care centres; Elementary schools; Emergency care establishments; Hospitals; Institutional uses; Libraries; Nursing homes; Private schools; Recreational buildings; Secondary schools; Ancillary residential and/or hostels and accommodations, together with permitted uses in this zone; and Universities with a minimum west interior side yard depth of 6.0m. Please note: The revised amendment is intended to reduce the land area that is subject to the Zoning By-law amendment and to revise the list of uses requested for the area of land intended to be rezoned.

File: OZ-7955 Planner: M. Tomazincic (Dundas)

New UWO Residence

The University has awarded a contract for the construction of the new residence adjacent to Althouse. A crane will be set up on site early in the new year. There is additional information at http://www.residenceatwestern.ca/newresidence/

A site plan is shown with an access out to Sarnia Road. The City has said that such access would only be through the existing driveway to the red brick buildings if there is agreement with the adjacent property owner, London Property Corp.

Questions about the project can be addressed to Susan Grindrod, 519-661-3549 or grindrod@housing.uwo.ca

July 2011 Updates

Seniors Community Association invitation

Adults 55 and older in our neighbourhood are invited to discussion groups hosted by the Seniors Community Association and to learn about the Connecting London Seniors project. All are welcome to attend at the Sherwood Forest Library on either Thursday, July 28th at 10 a.m. or Wednesday, Aug. 3rd at 1:30 p.m. Space is limited, so you must register in advance by contacting Jean Knight, 519-963-4567.

Jean Knight – Project Coordinator
Seniors Community Association
Office: 519.963.4567
Cell: 519.615.9366
http://www.scalondon.ca

Update on widening of Sarnia Road from Wonderland to Sleightholme

Although this project has been pushed off to 2019 by the city for financial reasons, the city council decided it best to complete the Environmental Assessment. The Ratepayers have yet to receive notification as to when the final report will be filed on the public record as required under Provincial legislation. Usually, we receive a letter from the city. Notice is also given in the Living in the City section of the city’s web site. My guess is it will be the fall at the earliest before any information is available.

Medway Valley Heritage Forest Conservation Master Plan Update

The city budget for this year included funds for an update of the Medway Valley Conservation Master Plan. No notice has been received as to when this project will commence. When it starts, it is anticipated to take at least 12 to 18 months to complete. It is suppose to include all parts of the Valley, including the parts north of Fanshawe Park Road.

New student residences at UWO and Brescia College

UWO will start building the new residence on the south west side of Sarnia and Western Road starting this fall. Brescia College has been in contact with the city about its plans for a new residence at Brescia Lane and Ramsey Road, but have not yet filed for formal site plan approval or a change in zoning which would be required to change the use of the land south of Ramsey. There is a web page with some information and contact information as well at http://www.brescia.uwo.ca/about/new_residence/index.html

Tennis Courts

Thanks to the diligence of a resident, the City will be taking the following actions as soon as possible.

  • Trim Apple Trees that drop fruit onto the court surfaces
  • Power-wash all areas of the courts.
  • Replace torn nets.
  • Repair cracks in the surface with a new fiberglass compound.
  • Safe-proof the protrusions on the outsides of the steel tennis posts.

March Newsletter

The March newsletter is now available. Click here for the newsletter. Highlights include:

Update on the future of schools in Orchard Park / Sherwood Forest.
It is apparent that the administration will NOT support retaining the property and building if a school is closed. It is important to let our trustees know your thoughts on protecting the school sites. They can be reached at:

Peter Jaffe
519-452-2000 ext. 22406
Fax: 519-452-2269
e-mail p.jaffe@tvdsb.on.ca

Peggy Sattler
519-452-2000 ext. 22410
Fax: 519-452-2978
e-mail p.sattler@tvdsb.on.ca

ARC timeline

  • by April 01 the Final ARC Report to Director will be Posted (within 15 days of March 9th )
  • April 12 ARC Report presented to Board at its regular meeting by ARC Chair (Trustee Bennett)
  • April 26 Administrative Response to ARC Report presented to Board at its regular meeting
  • June 14 Public input to Board at its regular meeting
  • June 28 Decision by Board at its regular meeting (no public input permitted)

You are encouraged to attend the June 14th Board meeting and to have your say. Your ratepayers executive will also try to meet with Trustee Bennett and our trustees to gain their support for the ARC recommendation when it comes to a vote on June 28th.

The draft report can be found at http://www.tvdsb.ca/files/filesystem/SHERWOOD_DraftReport_2011January27.pdf
The final report will be substantively the same.

UWO planning a new residence on the Althouse College parking lot
Western is planning on building a new 1000-bed residence where the parking lot between Althouse College and Sarnia Road is currently located. The University is prepared to hold a meeting to introduce the community to the proposal. This will take place around April 10th.

Update from March 5 Neighborhood Social
Thanks to everyone who came out, and a special thanks to those of you who paid your dues that day.

Update on Medway Valley bridge
The bridge over the Medway project has been put off until 2013 at the earliest. Instead, the city will update the Master Plan for the Valley starting this year and concluding the studies in 2012. There will be community involvement so stay tuned for more information.

Community Tree Planting – May 7
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority is planning a community tree planting day for May 7th. Additional information will be forthcoming.

Update on Sarnia Road widening
The proposed widening of Sarnia Road from Wonderland to Sleightholme has been moved from 2012 to 2019 in the city’s budget. Projects such as these are not approved until they are included in the current year’s budget debate, so 2019 is only a tentative date that can be moved forward or backwards. More information will be known when the city tables its 2012 budget for public review this fall.