Burgess Park benefits from one-day tree planting brigade
UTRCA Naturalization Project
In less than three hours, various species of trees were planted on a site on the west edge of Woodstock on Sunday.
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) in an event sponsored by the Lions Club of Woodstock, which I'm a member of, participated in: the Burgess Park Naturalization Project. Simply put, an area of about 60 acres (my guess), which already had a mix of vegetation and some trees, but was essentially a deserted farm field managed by the UTRCA, saw the planting of more than 600 trees -- some about 3-feet tall and many much smaller.
The workforce included employees from the UTRCA (www.thamesriver.on.ca) and City of Woodstock parks department to monitor and supervise, but most of the labour came from about 200 members of various local scouts and girl guide groups. The trees were delivered on the back of a UTRCA pick-up truck, while the volunteers brought shovels, pails and determination. The pails were necessary as there existed a small mountain of mulch, which was the nutrient base for these new up-start trees. The mulch supply was distributed by local environmentalist / former scout leader / amateur arborist John Duffy. He seemed quite content to be sitting in a stack of shredded old trees -- bark, branches, chips and twigs.
As a member of the Lions Club of Woodstock, I was part of the coolers crew -- coolers with drinks and hot dogs, plus a skid of buns, and a box of relish and mustard -- to feed this brigade of diggers and planters.
At the end of the day, in this case a long morning, I hope to be a gradual witness of growth watching in this previously seemingly barren acreage as it evolves into a thriving forest. I hope the UTRCA folks plant 10 stakes around the circumference of this area -- stakes holding signs noting the number of trees planted and the importance of not trampling the area.
Check out the UTRCA website for more information on similar projects in the Thames River watershed, especially around Fanshawe Lake in London and the Wildwood conservation area near St Marys (and at the extreme northwest of Oxford County).
"We're planting over 7,200 native trees and shrubs with an anticipated 1,900 students and 1,700 community members. Schools and community groups are planting from April 17 to May 5," noted the home page of the website.
Some of the funding for the Woodstock event was donated by the Lions Club of Woodstock (Call me if you're interested in finding out more about joining our service club), but dollars also arrived via: the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, RBC Blue Water Program, the Trillium Foundation, Trees Ontario, CAA, and EcoAction through Environment Canada.
With the Lions Club, planting trees is a current international quest as Lions International president Wing-Kun Tam is challenging Lions around the world to plant 10 million trees this year to demonstrate the strength of our global network.
The UTRCA plans on planting 70,000 trees this spring. It's a great goal and very achievable. If you want a tree and own 2.5 acres of land or more, the UTRCA will provide you with at least one tree as landowners who own one hectare (2.5 acres) or more of land and live within the Upper Thames River watershed are eligible to participate in the "Tree Planting on Private Lands" program.
A story in last week's Sentinel-Review noted the obstacle in planting trees is to find spots. Steve Bowers, a field adviser with Trees Ontario, was in Woodstock last week, noting in the S-R piece. "It’s a challenge to get tree sites. We’d like to see farmers squaring up fields by planting trees instead of taking them out. Land prices are so high, it’s a big decision."
You don't have to be a botanist to know that trees can be the anchor for the ground. Burgess Park and its accompanying nature (walking and cycling) trails around the Thames River are a treasure for us to enjoy now and in the future. Nature lovers like John Duffy have taken their hobby into the current forests and have even labelled trees to note their breed or genus.
The UTRCA has quite a task at hand as they monitor and manage everything from campgrounds to flood studies, plants and animals to education and land maintenance, memorial forests to heritage studies, publishing maps to building bridges.
In future years, it may become necessary for individual municipalities to take even more control of parks / trails along this waterway, but the UTRCA always has the final say.
Sunday, April 29 was a sunny day, but also a day that brought some sunshine on the future of Burgess Park and those who love nature. The UTRCA current slogan is a good recap: "Inspiring A Healthy Environment'.
Sunday 29 April 2012
Home insurance items to remember
On the topic of home insurance
Home insurance has many varied issues.
The story below from the Toronto Star's moneyville.ca site points out a Top 10 list.
It's hard to believe in 2012 that many older homes still have wiring and plumbing concerns, but they do. Knob-and-tube wiring is still visible in many homes built before the Second World War. Galvanized plumbing is also still an issue.
The other area that consumers always have difficult with is that the cost-to-replace on a home for your fire insurance is based on rebuilding your home brand new and to today's standards. Obviously, you could pay $200,000 for a home that is perhaps only 40 years old, but based on mechanicals (high-end gas fireplace, for example) and flooring and many other factors, your home could be deemed to be worth as much as $280,000 to replace -- brand new.
By the way, if your house is 1,800 sq ft on main 2 levels, don't suggest to your insurance broker that you live in a lovely 2,100 sq ft home because you will be paying insurance on a 2,100 sq ft home. Don't be afraid to sit down with a calculator, draw a picture of the floor plan and calculate an accurate square footage. You can then submit this drawing -- with dimensions -- to your insurance rep.
In the meantime, here's the Toronto Star story:
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Home insurance: 10 things you need to knowYour home is your single biggest purchase and the things inside it, probably number two. So when it comes to insurance, making sure your home and possessions are protected is important. Here are ten things you need to know.
1. What if my house burns down?The cost to rebuild your home plays a big role in determining the amount you pay for home insurance. Insurance companies use a formula to figure that out, but since there are several industry approved calculation methods the cost may differ from one insurer to the next. Ask your broker or agent to explain which method they use and the assumptions.
2. Do I have replacement cost coverage?The number the company comes up with in Step 1 is what it will pay to rebuild your home. The amount increases over time, but there is a possibility it isn’t keeping pace with increases in the cost of labour and materials. Check with your broker or agent to see if you have guaranteed replacement coverage. This ensures you will receive the amount that it actually costs to replace your home and not the amount on your policy. Not all policies have this coverage and rules vary across insurance companies.
3. Do I have sewer back-up coverage?It may come as a surprise that not all insurance policies include coverage for damages from sewer back-up into your home. If you are unsure, speak to your broker or agent.
4. Policy special limitsMost policies set a maximum they will pay to cover certain items including jewelry, tools, furs and bicycles. These limits can vary from one insurance company to another. If you have expensive items you wish to protect, make sure the policy has sufficient coverage for your needs. You can also increase the amount of insurance for these items separately, if needed. And if you are shopping around, ensure you include this coverage for an apples-to-apples comparison of rates.
5. What type of policy do I need?Broadly speaking, there are three types of policy: a Comprehensive Policy, a Broad Policy and a Fire Policy. The first type provides full coverage, the second average coverage and the last provides only basic coverage. The names of these policies offered will vary from one insurance company to another, so be sure to ask to better understand what you are buying.
6. Ask for discountsSome insurers offer discounts for such things as being mortgage-free and for being a non-smoking household. There may also be something if you have an alarm system, are claims-free or bring all your insurance policies under one roof.
7. What happens if I make a claim?If you were to make a claim you could lose your claims-free discount. For that reason you want to consider the impact on your rates before proceeding with a claim and better understand how your policy works before you purchase home insurance. Also be sure to consider your out-pocket costs related to any claim such as your deductible.
8. I’m a renter. Do I need insurance?Even if you are only renting your home, you should consider a tenant’s policy. This protects your possessions (TV, computer furniture, sporting goods, jewelry, etc.) and ensures you are covered in the event of damage to your apartment, a neighbour’s, or someone injures themselves while on your property.
9. Older homesThere are a few key areas an insurance company looks at to assess risk before insuring your home including wiring, galvanized or lead pipes, electrical service, heat source, wood stoves, and the age of your roof. Most prefer that you not have knob and tube or aluminum wiring. Galvanized or lead pipes generally indicate the age of the home and most companies prefer that you have this updated to copper or plastic. They also typically prefer that you have breakers instead of fuses with 100-amp service at minimum.
Improperly maintained wood stoves are a common cause of house fires and your insurance company may request a full inspection should you have one. Generally speaking, insurance companies prefer that your roof has been updated within the last 20 years.
10. Optional coverageDepending on where your home is located you may want additional coverage. For example, if you live in an earthquake-prone region you may want to consider earthquake coverage, which is not normally included in standard policies. Another example is sewer back-up coverage which may be particularly desirable should your home be located in a low-lying area that is susceptible to sewer back-ups.
This article was prepared for Moneyville's launch. Andrew Wicken was the general manager of InsuranceHotline.com, a free online insurance rate comparison service.
Home insurance has many varied issues.
The story below from the Toronto Star's moneyville.ca site points out a Top 10 list.
It's hard to believe in 2012 that many older homes still have wiring and plumbing concerns, but they do. Knob-and-tube wiring is still visible in many homes built before the Second World War. Galvanized plumbing is also still an issue.
The other area that consumers always have difficult with is that the cost-to-replace on a home for your fire insurance is based on rebuilding your home brand new and to today's standards. Obviously, you could pay $200,000 for a home that is perhaps only 40 years old, but based on mechanicals (high-end gas fireplace, for example) and flooring and many other factors, your home could be deemed to be worth as much as $280,000 to replace -- brand new.
By the way, if your house is 1,800 sq ft on main 2 levels, don't suggest to your insurance broker that you live in a lovely 2,100 sq ft home because you will be paying insurance on a 2,100 sq ft home. Don't be afraid to sit down with a calculator, draw a picture of the floor plan and calculate an accurate square footage. You can then submit this drawing -- with dimensions -- to your insurance rep.
In the meantime, here's the Toronto Star story:
()()()()()()()()()
Home insurance: 10 things you need to knowYour home is your single biggest purchase and the things inside it, probably number two. So when it comes to insurance, making sure your home and possessions are protected is important. Here are ten things you need to know.
1. What if my house burns down?The cost to rebuild your home plays a big role in determining the amount you pay for home insurance. Insurance companies use a formula to figure that out, but since there are several industry approved calculation methods the cost may differ from one insurer to the next. Ask your broker or agent to explain which method they use and the assumptions.
2. Do I have replacement cost coverage?The number the company comes up with in Step 1 is what it will pay to rebuild your home. The amount increases over time, but there is a possibility it isn’t keeping pace with increases in the cost of labour and materials. Check with your broker or agent to see if you have guaranteed replacement coverage. This ensures you will receive the amount that it actually costs to replace your home and not the amount on your policy. Not all policies have this coverage and rules vary across insurance companies.
3. Do I have sewer back-up coverage?It may come as a surprise that not all insurance policies include coverage for damages from sewer back-up into your home. If you are unsure, speak to your broker or agent.
4. Policy special limitsMost policies set a maximum they will pay to cover certain items including jewelry, tools, furs and bicycles. These limits can vary from one insurance company to another. If you have expensive items you wish to protect, make sure the policy has sufficient coverage for your needs. You can also increase the amount of insurance for these items separately, if needed. And if you are shopping around, ensure you include this coverage for an apples-to-apples comparison of rates.
5. What type of policy do I need?Broadly speaking, there are three types of policy: a Comprehensive Policy, a Broad Policy and a Fire Policy. The first type provides full coverage, the second average coverage and the last provides only basic coverage. The names of these policies offered will vary from one insurance company to another, so be sure to ask to better understand what you are buying.
6. Ask for discountsSome insurers offer discounts for such things as being mortgage-free and for being a non-smoking household. There may also be something if you have an alarm system, are claims-free or bring all your insurance policies under one roof.
7. What happens if I make a claim?If you were to make a claim you could lose your claims-free discount. For that reason you want to consider the impact on your rates before proceeding with a claim and better understand how your policy works before you purchase home insurance. Also be sure to consider your out-pocket costs related to any claim such as your deductible.
8. I’m a renter. Do I need insurance?Even if you are only renting your home, you should consider a tenant’s policy. This protects your possessions (TV, computer furniture, sporting goods, jewelry, etc.) and ensures you are covered in the event of damage to your apartment, a neighbour’s, or someone injures themselves while on your property.
9. Older homesThere are a few key areas an insurance company looks at to assess risk before insuring your home including wiring, galvanized or lead pipes, electrical service, heat source, wood stoves, and the age of your roof. Most prefer that you not have knob and tube or aluminum wiring. Galvanized or lead pipes generally indicate the age of the home and most companies prefer that you have this updated to copper or plastic. They also typically prefer that you have breakers instead of fuses with 100-amp service at minimum.
Improperly maintained wood stoves are a common cause of house fires and your insurance company may request a full inspection should you have one. Generally speaking, insurance companies prefer that your roof has been updated within the last 20 years.
10. Optional coverageDepending on where your home is located you may want additional coverage. For example, if you live in an earthquake-prone region you may want to consider earthquake coverage, which is not normally included in standard policies. Another example is sewer back-up coverage which may be particularly desirable should your home be located in a low-lying area that is susceptible to sewer back-ups.
This article was prepared for Moneyville's launch. Andrew Wicken was the general manager of InsuranceHotline.com, a free online insurance rate comparison service.
Wednesday 25 April 2012
Buyer Agency; Know What You're Signing
Some Realtors are guilty of not properly explaining legal contracts they want people to sign
We certainly do not live in a paperless society.
In real estate, for example, there is more paperwork now then there was 13 years ago when I began my career with Royal LePage. The biggest change may have occured in what Realtors refer to as Agency. When you purchase a home, you are required to sign a Buyer Agency Agreement with the sales rep who is representing you -- a Realtor who is usually the co-operating broker employed by you to assist in the house finding process. This Buyer Agency Agreement has an expiry date on it just as a listing agreement would.
A story on-line from http://www.moneyville.ca/ (Toronto Star newspaper), talks about a Realtor who didn't explain this buyer relationship well enough to his (customer) client, but this couple wanting to purchase in Milton signed the document anyway.
In small claim courts the Realtor lost their judgement, attempting to receive commission for a house he did not sell them.
It's a good lesson for consumers, to know exactly what they are signing. Don't sign a Buyer Agency Agreement with a Realtor until you are prepared to be dedicated to that Realtor as you have entered into a contract. The only way out is to prove (in this case) to a court that you were not explained properly what you were signing.
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Court denies Realtor $11,000 commission
By Mark Weisleder | Fri April 20 2012
The agreement you sign with a real estate agent should set out clearly and simply what you can expect from the agent and what the agent can expect from you. But this important document may be one of the least well understood, based on emails I get from buyers and agents
Here’s an example. Though it took over three years to get to trial, the lesson is clear; understand what buyer agency means before you start working with an agent or visiting agents at open houses.
Jean Kagemana and Mediatrice Mulcanyandwi were looking for a home in Milton and saw a For Sale sign of Sanjay Babbar, an agent with Sutton Group. Over the period of a few days Sanjay showed them several homes.
The couple decided to put an offer in on a house on Hood Terrace in Milton, with Sanjay acting as their agent. Before Sanjay did so, he sat down with the couple and gave them a Buyer Representation Agreement, the standard document that sets out what the agent will do for you. It also sets out important legal terms and conditions, including:
•The length of time the agent will act on your behalf. It can be as short as a day or six months or more;
•Where the agent will look for homes;
•An obligation for you to refer any property you find to the agent; and
•An agreement for you to pay the agent commission, if the seller refuses to pay it.
The couple’s offer for the house was not accepted and they went directly to a builder, without Sanjay, and bought a house.
Sanjay sued for $11,000 commission in a case heard in small claims court in Oakville. Sanjay argued he spent two to three hours with the couple explaining everything. The couple argued Sanjay was he was at their house for just a few minutes and had to hurry off because another offer was coming in that night.
The couple also argued through their lawyer, Paul Marshall, they thought the only reason they had to sign the Buyer Agreement was so that they could put in an offer on Hood Terrace and it was not explained that the agreement would continue for another six months.
In a decision on March 27, Judge Karen Thompson accepted the couple’s story about the night they signed the buyer agreement. She noted that the agent did not have clear notes or recollection of the times and dates involved, while the couple did. She said that Mulcanyandwi could remember that it was late at night and she felt rushed putting the children to bed, and that she was not even at the table while most of the papers were reviewed by her husband.
Judge Thompson ruled that the contract terms were not understood by the buyers and that when they signed the Buyer Agreement, they thought it meant something else. She denied Sanjay’s claim for commission.
This case contains important lessons for buyers and real estate agents.
•Buyers, if you want a buyer agent to be loyal only to you, consider signing a Buyer Agency Agreement; do not try to use someone’s services and then avoid paying commission later;
•Buyers, also understand that you can negotiate the terms of this agreement, including the commission payable, time period and territory. For example, if you only want it to apply to resale homes and not new homes, include that in the agreement;
•Agents, make sure that buyers clearly understand all the terms of any Buyer Agency Agreement before it is signed. Have the buyers initial all key paragraphs and leave them a copy of the agreement as well. Keep notes of everything that was discussed.
When everyone understands what Buyer Agency is all about, costly legal proceedings can be avoided later.
Mark Weisleder is a real estate lawyer. Email mark at mark@markweisleder.com
We certainly do not live in a paperless society.
In real estate, for example, there is more paperwork now then there was 13 years ago when I began my career with Royal LePage. The biggest change may have occured in what Realtors refer to as Agency. When you purchase a home, you are required to sign a Buyer Agency Agreement with the sales rep who is representing you -- a Realtor who is usually the co-operating broker employed by you to assist in the house finding process. This Buyer Agency Agreement has an expiry date on it just as a listing agreement would.
A story on-line from http://www.moneyville.ca/ (Toronto Star newspaper), talks about a Realtor who didn't explain this buyer relationship well enough to his (customer) client, but this couple wanting to purchase in Milton signed the document anyway.
In small claim courts the Realtor lost their judgement, attempting to receive commission for a house he did not sell them.
It's a good lesson for consumers, to know exactly what they are signing. Don't sign a Buyer Agency Agreement with a Realtor until you are prepared to be dedicated to that Realtor as you have entered into a contract. The only way out is to prove (in this case) to a court that you were not explained properly what you were signing.
()()()()()()()()
Court denies Realtor $11,000 commission
By Mark Weisleder | Fri April 20 2012
The agreement you sign with a real estate agent should set out clearly and simply what you can expect from the agent and what the agent can expect from you. But this important document may be one of the least well understood, based on emails I get from buyers and agents
Here’s an example. Though it took over three years to get to trial, the lesson is clear; understand what buyer agency means before you start working with an agent or visiting agents at open houses.
Jean Kagemana and Mediatrice Mulcanyandwi were looking for a home in Milton and saw a For Sale sign of Sanjay Babbar, an agent with Sutton Group. Over the period of a few days Sanjay showed them several homes.
The couple decided to put an offer in on a house on Hood Terrace in Milton, with Sanjay acting as their agent. Before Sanjay did so, he sat down with the couple and gave them a Buyer Representation Agreement, the standard document that sets out what the agent will do for you. It also sets out important legal terms and conditions, including:
•The length of time the agent will act on your behalf. It can be as short as a day or six months or more;
•Where the agent will look for homes;
•An obligation for you to refer any property you find to the agent; and
•An agreement for you to pay the agent commission, if the seller refuses to pay it.
The couple’s offer for the house was not accepted and they went directly to a builder, without Sanjay, and bought a house.
Sanjay sued for $11,000 commission in a case heard in small claims court in Oakville. Sanjay argued he spent two to three hours with the couple explaining everything. The couple argued Sanjay was he was at their house for just a few minutes and had to hurry off because another offer was coming in that night.
The couple also argued through their lawyer, Paul Marshall, they thought the only reason they had to sign the Buyer Agreement was so that they could put in an offer on Hood Terrace and it was not explained that the agreement would continue for another six months.
In a decision on March 27, Judge Karen Thompson accepted the couple’s story about the night they signed the buyer agreement. She noted that the agent did not have clear notes or recollection of the times and dates involved, while the couple did. She said that Mulcanyandwi could remember that it was late at night and she felt rushed putting the children to bed, and that she was not even at the table while most of the papers were reviewed by her husband.
Judge Thompson ruled that the contract terms were not understood by the buyers and that when they signed the Buyer Agreement, they thought it meant something else. She denied Sanjay’s claim for commission.
This case contains important lessons for buyers and real estate agents.
•Buyers, if you want a buyer agent to be loyal only to you, consider signing a Buyer Agency Agreement; do not try to use someone’s services and then avoid paying commission later;
•Buyers, also understand that you can negotiate the terms of this agreement, including the commission payable, time period and territory. For example, if you only want it to apply to resale homes and not new homes, include that in the agreement;
•Agents, make sure that buyers clearly understand all the terms of any Buyer Agency Agreement before it is signed. Have the buyers initial all key paragraphs and leave them a copy of the agreement as well. Keep notes of everything that was discussed.
When everyone understands what Buyer Agency is all about, costly legal proceedings can be avoided later.
Mark Weisleder is a real estate lawyer. Email mark at mark@markweisleder.com
Tuesday 24 April 2012
Prices on each side of border
Price tags here; price tags in U.S.
A pet peeve everyone has is looking at prices on books at a store and always being puzzled why a $20 price in the U.S., is usually about $26 Canadian. The Canadian dollar and U.S. currency have been at or around par for quite some time, so there seems to be an obstacle in front of Canada's consumers that should be removed.I wouldn't want to be a small (non-chain) retailer in either Sarnia, Windsor or Fort Erie.
However, there was a story in today's Toronto Star, which attempts to explain the discrepancies by talking about the issue with the Retail Council of Canada.
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Francine Kopun
Toronto Star, Business Reporter
Suppliers charge Canadian retailers more for the same products they sell to U.S. retailers and that is why Canadian consumers end up paying more – much more – a Senate committee was told Tuesday morning.
"Suggesting Canadian retailers are to blame for the difference in pricing is not only misleading and misinformed, it only acts to undermine the critically important relationships between Canadian retailers and their customers," according to a report prepared by the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and presented to the Senate Committee on National Finance.
The report was presented to by Diane Brisebois, the RCC’s CEO and president.
The Senate committee began its study into the reasons for price discrepancies of consumer products between Canada and the United States in October, following complaints from Canadian consumers tired of paying more in Canada for the same products sold in the U.S.
Retailers in Canada report that they are charged anywhere between 10-50 per cent more for identical products by the same suppliers, according to the RCC report.
The report gave examples of items sold by suppliers at different price points in Canada and the U.S.
Ibuprophen 200 mg, sells to U.S. retailers for $10.76 and to Canadian retailers for $18.29, a difference of 70 per cent. A bottle of Aspirin 81 mg low dose sells to U.S. retailers for $10.16, and to Canadian retailers for $21.78, a difference of 114 per cent.
Canadian retailers say their suppliers tell them they charge more because Canadians are used to paying more for products in Canada; that the higher prices subsidize the costs of maintaining offices and operations in Canada, and that the higher prices are necessary to compensate their Canadian distributors and wholesalers.
Brisebois said that while it is not the case for all suppliers and all products, the different prices charged by suppliers it is the largest contributing factor to the difference in prices between Canada and the United States in situations where it occurs.
The RCC also blamed outdated tariffs on finished goods like some clothes, pantyhose, wooden bedroom furniture, bed linens, towels and pillows.
The report also points out the recent increase in personal exemption limits for Canadians travelling outside the country will hurt Canadian retailers and ultimately, the Canadian economy.
Canadian residents made 5.2 million trips abroad in February, a 3.9 per cent increase from January. The majority of the trips – 4.4 million – were to the United States, a 4.5 per cent increase.
The main factor was an 8 per cent increase in same-day car travel by Canadians to the United States, to 2.6 million trips, the highest monthly level since December 1997.
The RCC also blamed supply management for the high prices for eggs, chicken, butter and milk in Canada, sending residents of border towns to the U.S. for groceries.
"It is the RCC’s position that the government should not favour one industry over another, in this case farmers over retailers, to the detriment of the latter," according to the RCC report.
The report called books the "poster children" of the price differences in Canada versus the United States. The federal government’s own copyright regulations allow for a 10 per cent markup on U.S. sourced books and the tax has been collected by multinational book distributors since 1999.
The retail sector is the largest employer in Canada, providing jobs for more than 2 million Canadian and generating sales in excess of $300 billion dollars a year. It contributed $74.2 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009.
The RCC represents more than 45,000 stores of all retail formats across Canada.
The report also pointed out that after an unexpectedly soft fall and holiday season in 2011, retailers anticipate sales growth of one to five per cent over the course of 2012. With inflation expected to be in the two-per cent range, the growth in the actual volume of sales would be minimal.
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Riddell, Vincent, Wellington & Brant
Lots of good ideas for former hospital site
MHBC will pull the ropes and even deal with some knot tying, but which way this boat sails will be determined by more factors than the wind.
MHBC Planning consultants of Kitchener have been hired by the Woodstock General Hospital (WGH) Trust to analyze everything from traffic flow to neighbourhood comments to infrastructure to environmental concerns in assisting the process of determining what is the best and highest use ("Optimal Use" is MHBC wording) for the former hospital site of 270 Riddell Street.
Not only does the city block of Riddell - Vincent - Wellington - Brant fall into focus, but so does the staff parking lot across the street from the hospital, also on Riddell.
Since the neighbours comments are paramount in the process -- and they should be -- the public meeting on April 17 was conducted at The Legion on Brant Street, which is just a short walk from the site in question.
One meeting room at The Legion was set up with a series of easels noting several possibilities of residential developments -- low, medium and high density. There were also many overhead photos to better depict what currently exists in about a 20-block circle.
Anything low density would/could comprise of either detached homes, semi-detached or townhouse condominiums. Medium density could be a 3- or 4-storey condo or apartment complex, while high density could be much taller and either a condominium apartment-style or rental building. There is certainly a component for green space and even one proposal which ponders a commercial building as a possibility.
The developers would certainly be encouraged to save as many trees as possible.
Questions from the audience were fielded after a slide show of ideas. The timeline was discussed as currently the hospital is having any hazardous materials (asbestos, etc) remediated (abatement) from the structure before the buildings themselves will be demolished. Both the WGH Trust and MHBC seemed adamant that the Vance Building with frontage on Wellington would also be removed to leave the entire city block of more than six acres open for redevelopment. The three buildings comprise about 160,000 sq ft according to the original posting searching for a consultant.
The parking lot across from the hospital is about 1.9 acres.
The slide show (it really wasn't a power point) was described by MHBC staffers and certainly concentrated on the idea that this consultation is early stages in a lengthy public process, which will include changing the zoning from its current institutional-type status. The goal is to create a concept, including hypothetical drawings of building and landscaping, that will work for everyone -- WGH Trust, city council, county council, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), the provincial government (The province has a ton of guidelines dealing with residential intensification), the neighbourhood, and developers. At the end of the day, you want a consistent cityscape, but construction costs must balance out. It is a tug-of-war.
Anyone with ideas can email Carol Wiebe of MHBC at cwiebe@mhbcplan.com or locally WGH vice president Perry Lang at plang@wgh.on.ca. Mr Lang can be reached via mail at: 310 Juliana Drive, Woodstock, N4V 0A4.
As Woodstock city council member Paul Plant smartly pointed out, the possibility of this WGH Trust losing money on this venture does exist. By the time the old hospital, which dates back in some sections to 1895, is converted into open land, will the Trust be able to recoup all its demolishing costs / investment by selling the property to one or more developers for any accountable profit.
The Building The Vision campaign raised over $25 million by local citizens. That would be one of many reasons why the hospital trust committee would now give back to the neighbourhood by listening and learning, and then properly planning the future of what the public info night ad called: former Woodstock hospital lands.
The new hospital opened its doors this past November and is about 350,000 sq ft. (The 178 beds is an increase of about 60 from previous hospital.) The Woodstock Sentinel-Review -- with most of the pieces penned by Heather Rivers -- published a 46-page insert around that time. The new facility will serve the Woodstock area for the next 100+ years.
At the same time, as the old hospital will be reduced to rubble later this year, it will be interesting to see what grows on that site. I would expect it to be completely residential, and would further expect that everything on those two properties will be owned either as freehold or condominium (and not a landlord owning a building and collecting rent from tenants).
I personally like the idea, especially with our aging society, which is of course is also living longer, that we build more condo apartments. Woodstock has zero condominium apartments with under-ground parking. It's worth repeating: Zero!
A lifetime of equity can be an investment after a couple sells the home it raised a family in, and not simply pay rent and hope their other investments, savings and pensions permit the lifestyle and security deserved.
Mark Schadenberg
Sales Representative
Royal LePage Triland
(519) 537-1553
Thinking of a move? New construction or re-sale? Call me about real estate in Oxford County.
MHBC will pull the ropes and even deal with some knot tying, but which way this boat sails will be determined by more factors than the wind.
MHBC Planning consultants of Kitchener have been hired by the Woodstock General Hospital (WGH) Trust to analyze everything from traffic flow to neighbourhood comments to infrastructure to environmental concerns in assisting the process of determining what is the best and highest use ("Optimal Use" is MHBC wording) for the former hospital site of 270 Riddell Street.
Not only does the city block of Riddell - Vincent - Wellington - Brant fall into focus, but so does the staff parking lot across the street from the hospital, also on Riddell.
Since the neighbours comments are paramount in the process -- and they should be -- the public meeting on April 17 was conducted at The Legion on Brant Street, which is just a short walk from the site in question.
One meeting room at The Legion was set up with a series of easels noting several possibilities of residential developments -- low, medium and high density. There were also many overhead photos to better depict what currently exists in about a 20-block circle.
Anything low density would/could comprise of either detached homes, semi-detached or townhouse condominiums. Medium density could be a 3- or 4-storey condo or apartment complex, while high density could be much taller and either a condominium apartment-style or rental building. There is certainly a component for green space and even one proposal which ponders a commercial building as a possibility.
The developers would certainly be encouraged to save as many trees as possible.
Questions from the audience were fielded after a slide show of ideas. The timeline was discussed as currently the hospital is having any hazardous materials (asbestos, etc) remediated (abatement) from the structure before the buildings themselves will be demolished. Both the WGH Trust and MHBC seemed adamant that the Vance Building with frontage on Wellington would also be removed to leave the entire city block of more than six acres open for redevelopment. The three buildings comprise about 160,000 sq ft according to the original posting searching for a consultant.
The parking lot across from the hospital is about 1.9 acres.
The slide show (it really wasn't a power point) was described by MHBC staffers and certainly concentrated on the idea that this consultation is early stages in a lengthy public process, which will include changing the zoning from its current institutional-type status. The goal is to create a concept, including hypothetical drawings of building and landscaping, that will work for everyone -- WGH Trust, city council, county council, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), the provincial government (The province has a ton of guidelines dealing with residential intensification), the neighbourhood, and developers. At the end of the day, you want a consistent cityscape, but construction costs must balance out. It is a tug-of-war.
Anyone with ideas can email Carol Wiebe of MHBC at cwiebe@mhbcplan.com or locally WGH vice president Perry Lang at plang@wgh.on.ca. Mr Lang can be reached via mail at: 310 Juliana Drive, Woodstock, N4V 0A4.
As Woodstock city council member Paul Plant smartly pointed out, the possibility of this WGH Trust losing money on this venture does exist. By the time the old hospital, which dates back in some sections to 1895, is converted into open land, will the Trust be able to recoup all its demolishing costs / investment by selling the property to one or more developers for any accountable profit.
The Building The Vision campaign raised over $25 million by local citizens. That would be one of many reasons why the hospital trust committee would now give back to the neighbourhood by listening and learning, and then properly planning the future of what the public info night ad called: former Woodstock hospital lands.
The new hospital opened its doors this past November and is about 350,000 sq ft. (The 178 beds is an increase of about 60 from previous hospital.) The Woodstock Sentinel-Review -- with most of the pieces penned by Heather Rivers -- published a 46-page insert around that time. The new facility will serve the Woodstock area for the next 100+ years.
At the same time, as the old hospital will be reduced to rubble later this year, it will be interesting to see what grows on that site. I would expect it to be completely residential, and would further expect that everything on those two properties will be owned either as freehold or condominium (and not a landlord owning a building and collecting rent from tenants).
I personally like the idea, especially with our aging society, which is of course is also living longer, that we build more condo apartments. Woodstock has zero condominium apartments with under-ground parking. It's worth repeating: Zero!
A lifetime of equity can be an investment after a couple sells the home it raised a family in, and not simply pay rent and hope their other investments, savings and pensions permit the lifestyle and security deserved.
Mark Schadenberg
Sales Representative
Royal LePage Triland
(519) 537-1553
Thinking of a move? New construction or re-sale? Call me about real estate in Oxford County.
Sunday 8 April 2012
Live Like A King Or Queen
Prince Edward could be your castle
If you think of a versatile home, what are some amenities you might think of?
My list would include the ability to work-at-home. The house could also include a main-floor bedroom in case the family purchasing required an in-law suite. A large backyard would also be a requirement, so that beyond the pool there was still room for a large wood deck and perhaps a garden.
With a check mark in all three of these areas, 25 Prince Edward Road, Woodstock, would be a good choice for your family.
Less than 10 years old, this 2-storey has 3 bedrooms on the second floor, but also has a main-floor room currently set up for crafts/quilting, which would fit the bill for a bedroom if needed.
The spacious 2-car garage is set up at present with about half of its space as an office with a gas fireplace and private-entrance door so clients wouldn't have to enter your house. If your employment required (or benefited from) an at-home office -- sales, physiotherapist, esthetician or an accountant maybe -- again 25 Prince Edward would be your destination.
Royalty
The large pie-shape backyard is also only about one-third occupied by its fenced-in above-ground pool. For a young family, the Zodiac Royalty above-ground pool would be quite a splash as its 26' x 13' with a depth of four feet. Those dimensions make it ideal for morning laps and afternoon weekend volleyball with a group of neighbours.
Prince Edward Road is in the popular south Woodstock neighbourhood of larger family homes, which is actually a very quiet crescent. As the home is situated on the outside of the bend it creates a lot of 32' foot frontage, but is actually 124 feet along the back, and features a depth of 139 feet at its deepest point.
The brick house, with a focal point stone peaked facade, has terrific curb appeal with its front dormer directly above the front door.
The main floor features a bright white eat-in kitchen with dinette leading to patio doors and eventually to the large back wood deck. The formal living room has a vaulted ceiling. The main floor also includes a family room area with sparkling hardwood flooring, main-floor laundry and a 2pc powder room.
The second floor highlight is the master bedroom with a long walk-in closet. The main bathroom includes a jetted tub and a separate shower. There is also a small sitting area open to the foyer below.
Listed at $299,900 (MLS: 69-105), the home also includes central vac, central air, security system, water softener, and will be sold with its washer and dryer.
Boston Pizza & Swiss Chalet
The location is also top notch as Southside Park and pool, and the city's twin-pad arenas community complex are both very close. If you're not from Woodstock, you should know the complex has a highly regarded gymnastics club. Woodstock also has a brand new hospital just a few blocks away, plus expansive box mall shopping and countless restaurants on Norwich Avenue, two high schools in the vicinity, and a 9-hole golf course along Cedar Creek. With the 401-403 hub in Woodstock's south corner, this house would be a terrific option for a family member commuting.
For your viewing, contact me soon.
Mark Schadenberg, sales representative
Royal LePage Triland Realty
(519) 539-2070, office; 539-4319, my home office; 537-1553, cell & textwww.marksells.ca
www.royallepage.ca
www.wesellwoodstock.com
www.markroyallepage.blogspot.com
www.royallepagetriland.com
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com Twitter: markroyallepage
If you think of a versatile home, what are some amenities you might think of?
My list would include the ability to work-at-home. The house could also include a main-floor bedroom in case the family purchasing required an in-law suite. A large backyard would also be a requirement, so that beyond the pool there was still room for a large wood deck and perhaps a garden.
With a check mark in all three of these areas, 25 Prince Edward Road, Woodstock, would be a good choice for your family.
Less than 10 years old, this 2-storey has 3 bedrooms on the second floor, but also has a main-floor room currently set up for crafts/quilting, which would fit the bill for a bedroom if needed.
The spacious 2-car garage is set up at present with about half of its space as an office with a gas fireplace and private-entrance door so clients wouldn't have to enter your house. If your employment required (or benefited from) an at-home office -- sales, physiotherapist, esthetician or an accountant maybe -- again 25 Prince Edward would be your destination.
Royalty
The large pie-shape backyard is also only about one-third occupied by its fenced-in above-ground pool. For a young family, the Zodiac Royalty above-ground pool would be quite a splash as its 26' x 13' with a depth of four feet. Those dimensions make it ideal for morning laps and afternoon weekend volleyball with a group of neighbours.
Prince Edward Road is in the popular south Woodstock neighbourhood of larger family homes, which is actually a very quiet crescent. As the home is situated on the outside of the bend it creates a lot of 32' foot frontage, but is actually 124 feet along the back, and features a depth of 139 feet at its deepest point.
The brick house, with a focal point stone peaked facade, has terrific curb appeal with its front dormer directly above the front door.
The main floor features a bright white eat-in kitchen with dinette leading to patio doors and eventually to the large back wood deck. The formal living room has a vaulted ceiling. The main floor also includes a family room area with sparkling hardwood flooring, main-floor laundry and a 2pc powder room.
The second floor highlight is the master bedroom with a long walk-in closet. The main bathroom includes a jetted tub and a separate shower. There is also a small sitting area open to the foyer below.
Listed at $299,900 (MLS: 69-105), the home also includes central vac, central air, security system, water softener, and will be sold with its washer and dryer.
Boston Pizza & Swiss Chalet
The location is also top notch as Southside Park and pool, and the city's twin-pad arenas community complex are both very close. If you're not from Woodstock, you should know the complex has a highly regarded gymnastics club. Woodstock also has a brand new hospital just a few blocks away, plus expansive box mall shopping and countless restaurants on Norwich Avenue, two high schools in the vicinity, and a 9-hole golf course along Cedar Creek. With the 401-403 hub in Woodstock's south corner, this house would be a terrific option for a family member commuting.
For your viewing, contact me soon.
Mark Schadenberg, sales representative
Royal LePage Triland Realty
(519) 539-2070, office; 539-4319, my home office; 537-1553, cell & textwww.marksells.ca
www.royallepage.ca
www.wesellwoodstock.com
www.markroyallepage.blogspot.com
www.royallepagetriland.com
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com Twitter: markroyallepage
Monday 2 April 2012
Woodstock sports wall seeks nominations
Now is the time to suggest people for Woodstock sports induction
By Mark Schadenberg
Woodstock has a storied sports history. True. However, have any of those sports accomplishments been forgotten?
The Woodstock Sports Wall of Fame, which is part of the mandate of the Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee (WRAC), is always looking to fill some gaps.
Nominations are open to the public at any time, but with the annual ceremony set for Oct 27, the WRAC plans to sort through the current nomination in May, so there is an end of April deadline to submit suggestions. It can be added that previous nominations do remain on file, so your candidate could be recognized this year or in the future.
The obvious accomplishments of yesteryear have been recognized -- Major League Baseball star Tip O'Neill, the remarkable Woodstock Grads football squad of 1931, the golf trophies won by Effie Nesbitt, baseball player Hazel Baynton, the noteworthy horse trainer Erastus Burgess who won the prestigious Queen's Plate, and of course 'Klondike Joe' Boyle both as a manager of boxers and a Yukon hockey team that competed for the Stanley Cup.
Many of the more recent athletes who have left an indelible mark on the local sports scene have been honoured -- Brian Paton, Catherine Bond-Mills, Penny Parkes, Bob MacKinnon, Ray Tilley, Drew Symons, Martin Smith, and June Bell
Teams from a long time ago, and teams from not so long ago have been recognized for provincial titles and other accomplishments.
Maybe the most important category -- for creating the fabric of local sports -- is the builders and founders (and coaches) -- Walter Kirchner, Walter Polzin, Wendy Wendling, Marnie Tatham, David Bond, Jan Post, Don Izzard, Sam Keeping, George Bacik, Jack Lawson, Phyllis Thomson, and the original inductee Stub Harper.
If you know of someone or a team which belongs on the sports wall, you can find the official nomination form on the city's website (Deadline on city.woodstock.on.ca is noted as April 1, but our committee does take nominations to end of April) or pick one up at the Community Services office at the community complex, or at the Southside pool. However, a letter resume, accompanied by a photo of the nominee, will be accepted as well.
The sports wall began in 1996 at the complex's opening ceremony and continues to honour so many accomplishments.
"The sports wall is more than just a bunch of old photos on a wall." says long-time WRAC member Dan Gray. "The wall is all about pride. It's the best kind of history you can have. The wall shows years and years of hard work and dedication that it takes to be the best in the field that they represent.
"The wall also represents the talent there is in this city not just in sports but in so many other aspects. Many times over it is shown that people who stride for greatness in sports do so in life, which truly makes our community a better place to live."
Mayor Sobeski is already on wall
A few good examples of this idea include Marie Bowerman, Bill Carrothers, Dr Peter Fowler, Dr Weston Krupp, and dare we add Pat Sobeski of the 1968-69 Navy Vets Ontario Junior C champions hockey club.
Only a few years ago, WRAC added a new category to the wall of fame: lifetime achievement. With this in mind, it is possible, to nominate someone who has already been inducted as an athlete or builder of sport for this different distinction. As an example, Bill Gillespie, who is a masters world champion in basketball, has been honoured both as an athlete and for lifetime achievement.
For all honourees, another important criteria is that the committee expects a person’s most significant accomplishment to have been a minimum of five years previous, and that the person is either from Woodstock or at least represented the city during their competitions. Two good examples of the residency guideline are gymnast Ashley Geris (Hominick) and curler Verne Kean.
After receiving nominations, the WRAC does spend time at the library and its microfilm to look back at old editions of The Sentinel-Review to verify / clarify the resumes.
The annual induction ceremony is always free to the public and attracts a large crowd to the Goff Hall at the community complex.
Gray notes the induction always represents a reunion for teams or a gathering of friends for the athletes.
"From my position as a WRAC member, I have had the privilege of being at probably the last 10 wall ceremonies. The smiles on the faces of the families that come to see their sons and daughters, moms and dads, or even grandparents receive their honour of being added to the wall is contagious -- no it is down right infectious.
"You can't help but smile and be proud of every single person that is on the wall," Gray says.
Looking ahead, the committee is planning to honour a building somehow in 2014 as next year marks 100 years since the opening of the Perry Street Arena.
If you're looking for more information on the sports wall process, you can contact Peter Johnston at the Southside Aquatic Centre at (519) 421-7665, or WRAC vice chair Dan Gray at 539-2254, or WRAC chair Mark Schadenberg at 537-1553.
Once Upon A Time
Nothing Normal about Normal School
A historic old school in London seeks a buyer and what is interesting is that the exterior has already been refurbished, but no one has purchased this significant building in London's Wortley Village neighbourhood.
If you have never driven past this school, and if you want to see a picture of it, be sure to check out the London Free Press website. http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/04/01/19579121.html
I could see this building be transformed into an office building for many uses -- lawyers, accountants, etc. Certainly some interior improvements would also be required. Now is the time for a business in London to come forward and purchase it as it will likely sell well below its perceived market value
Here is the Chip Martin story from The Free Press:
()()()()()()()
Historic building in London has uncertain future HERITAGE PRESERVATION: Once Ontario’s third-oldest teachers’ college, the London Normal School building is expected to be declared surplus by the province. Taxpayers spent $5 million to fix up the 112-year-old south London building’s exterior. Finding a fix for a historic site loved by the community, but with no obvious use, may be tougher.
By CHIP MARTIN, The London Free Press
April 2, 2012 8:03am
LONDON -- Location, location, location are the three words that make for real estate success.
Three others -- old, heritage, public, not so much.
One of London's landmark structures, the 112-year-old London Normal School at Elmwood Ave. and Wortley Rd. in Old South, is about to be declared surplus, leaving its fate up in the air.
The provincial government, after spending $5 million to repair the building's crumbling exterior, now wants to unload the place where teachers learned how to teach.
"It's a spectacular heritage property," says commercial Realtor Peter Whatmore of CB Richard Ellis.
But because of things like its age, heritage designation and other issues, the old, towered school will have a limited appeal in the market.
"You have to cast the net fairly broadly," Whatmore concedes. A private school or other use might be possible, he suggested.
Private interests will have to wait to get a crack at the property, however.
Before it goes on the open market, it must be offered first to other levels of government, according to provincial protocols.
City hall, at the urging of Old South residents, wants to buy some time to consider uses for it and to see if community partners might be interested in coming on-board.
Residents are determined the green space around the school -- rare, in that part of the city -- be preserved as parkland, said George Sinclair, a director of the Old South Community Organization. The building also needs some public use, he said.
Sitting vacant comes with risks, he said, noting the lessons learned from the historic Talbot Block of downtown commercial buildings, which began to fall apart before they were finally cleared, and Locust Mount, a historic Talbot St. home that burned down.
"The worst-case scenario is the building isn't used," he said. "Empty heritage buildings in this city, many of them, have a bad fate.
"This could be contributing to our community, its vitality, its well-being," Sinclair said, if a public use can be found. "There is work to be done, there is a community to revitalize and opportunities for the city to find a sympathetic, creative user."
Sinclair worries that heritage designations and easements on the property are written on paper and not etched in stone.
Shmuel Farhi, who has a large inventory of properties in London and beyond, is unimpressed with the provincial government's behaviour.
Farhi tangled with Queen's Park over the historic Elgin County courthouse in St. Thomas he acquired, fixed up and then sold back to the province. After that, the province committed $249 million to renovate it, he said.
"I am very concerned about the future of this heritage building, given the province's track record, the potential cost to renovate the rest of it and the limited uses it will have without significant internal reconstruction," he said.
"I am very distressed that at the same time as the provincial government was building record deficits, they spent $6 million to restore the tower alone at the Normal School. And now it is 'surplus?,' " Farhi said.
--- --- ---
CHRONOLOGY
1900: Feb. 1, Western Ontario Normal School opens, the third in Ontario after Toronto and Ottawa. It was a college for teachers.
1958: London Teachers' College becomes affiliated with the University of Western Ontario, as a junior high school; 1963: Becomes the home of the former London board of education; 1985: Becomes home of the London and Middlesex County Roman Catholic separate school board and is renamed the Monsignor Feeney Centre.
1985: The city places a heritage designation on the entire property, especially the building interior and exterior and the Ontario Heritage Trust applies a Heritage Conservation Easement on the entire site.
2004: The building becomes vacant when the Catholic board relocates its headquarters to Wellington Rd., beside Regina Mundi College.
2007: The Ontario government decides to restore the building's crumbling exterior, a job estimated at $4 million that rose to $5 million.
Early 2011: The London branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario bestows an award for the restoration job.
Feb. 2012: A public meeting in South London urges the city to take steps to preserve the parkland and building. A survey of residents shows they don't want to choose between the building and the green space.
March 26, 2012: City council's finance and administrative services committee recommends council on April 10 seek at least half a year's time from the government to consider uses for the old school and partnerships to explore some public use.
April 10: Council to consider asking for a delay in disposition to come up with a plan for use.
April 19: Infrastructure Ontario, owner of the site, expected to declare it surplus, offering it first to governments and public institutions before putting it on the open market. Under its rules, the city would have 30 days to respond if it's interested.
A historic old school in London seeks a buyer and what is interesting is that the exterior has already been refurbished, but no one has purchased this significant building in London's Wortley Village neighbourhood.
If you have never driven past this school, and if you want to see a picture of it, be sure to check out the London Free Press website. http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/04/01/19579121.html
I could see this building be transformed into an office building for many uses -- lawyers, accountants, etc. Certainly some interior improvements would also be required. Now is the time for a business in London to come forward and purchase it as it will likely sell well below its perceived market value
Here is the Chip Martin story from The Free Press:
()()()()()()()
Historic building in London has uncertain future HERITAGE PRESERVATION: Once Ontario’s third-oldest teachers’ college, the London Normal School building is expected to be declared surplus by the province. Taxpayers spent $5 million to fix up the 112-year-old south London building’s exterior. Finding a fix for a historic site loved by the community, but with no obvious use, may be tougher.
By CHIP MARTIN, The London Free Press
April 2, 2012 8:03am
LONDON -- Location, location, location are the three words that make for real estate success.
Three others -- old, heritage, public, not so much.
One of London's landmark structures, the 112-year-old London Normal School at Elmwood Ave. and Wortley Rd. in Old South, is about to be declared surplus, leaving its fate up in the air.
The provincial government, after spending $5 million to repair the building's crumbling exterior, now wants to unload the place where teachers learned how to teach.
"It's a spectacular heritage property," says commercial Realtor Peter Whatmore of CB Richard Ellis.
But because of things like its age, heritage designation and other issues, the old, towered school will have a limited appeal in the market.
"You have to cast the net fairly broadly," Whatmore concedes. A private school or other use might be possible, he suggested.
Private interests will have to wait to get a crack at the property, however.
Before it goes on the open market, it must be offered first to other levels of government, according to provincial protocols.
City hall, at the urging of Old South residents, wants to buy some time to consider uses for it and to see if community partners might be interested in coming on-board.
Residents are determined the green space around the school -- rare, in that part of the city -- be preserved as parkland, said George Sinclair, a director of the Old South Community Organization. The building also needs some public use, he said.
Sitting vacant comes with risks, he said, noting the lessons learned from the historic Talbot Block of downtown commercial buildings, which began to fall apart before they were finally cleared, and Locust Mount, a historic Talbot St. home that burned down.
"The worst-case scenario is the building isn't used," he said. "Empty heritage buildings in this city, many of them, have a bad fate.
"This could be contributing to our community, its vitality, its well-being," Sinclair said, if a public use can be found. "There is work to be done, there is a community to revitalize and opportunities for the city to find a sympathetic, creative user."
Sinclair worries that heritage designations and easements on the property are written on paper and not etched in stone.
Shmuel Farhi, who has a large inventory of properties in London and beyond, is unimpressed with the provincial government's behaviour.
Farhi tangled with Queen's Park over the historic Elgin County courthouse in St. Thomas he acquired, fixed up and then sold back to the province. After that, the province committed $249 million to renovate it, he said.
"I am very concerned about the future of this heritage building, given the province's track record, the potential cost to renovate the rest of it and the limited uses it will have without significant internal reconstruction," he said.
"I am very distressed that at the same time as the provincial government was building record deficits, they spent $6 million to restore the tower alone at the Normal School. And now it is 'surplus?,' " Farhi said.
--- --- ---
CHRONOLOGY
1900: Feb. 1, Western Ontario Normal School opens, the third in Ontario after Toronto and Ottawa. It was a college for teachers.
1958: London Teachers' College becomes affiliated with the University of Western Ontario, as a junior high school; 1963: Becomes the home of the former London board of education; 1985: Becomes home of the London and Middlesex County Roman Catholic separate school board and is renamed the Monsignor Feeney Centre.
1985: The city places a heritage designation on the entire property, especially the building interior and exterior and the Ontario Heritage Trust applies a Heritage Conservation Easement on the entire site.
2004: The building becomes vacant when the Catholic board relocates its headquarters to Wellington Rd., beside Regina Mundi College.
2007: The Ontario government decides to restore the building's crumbling exterior, a job estimated at $4 million that rose to $5 million.
Early 2011: The London branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario bestows an award for the restoration job.
Feb. 2012: A public meeting in South London urges the city to take steps to preserve the parkland and building. A survey of residents shows they don't want to choose between the building and the green space.
March 26, 2012: City council's finance and administrative services committee recommends council on April 10 seek at least half a year's time from the government to consider uses for the old school and partnerships to explore some public use.
April 10: Council to consider asking for a delay in disposition to come up with a plan for use.
April 19: Infrastructure Ontario, owner of the site, expected to declare it surplus, offering it first to governments and public institutions before putting it on the open market. Under its rules, the city would have 30 days to respond if it's interested.
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