Queen Mary School affordable housing project

The former Queen Mary School located at 41 Octavia Street was built in 1912 and used as a school and was decommissioned and purchased by the City of Belleville in 1982. Between 2002 to 2019, the building had been leased to the Community Resource Centre Quinte. Since
2020, the building has been vacant and in need of repairs.

The City’s plan is to lease a portion of the property to a developer who agrees to build a mix of market rent and “affordable” rental units. Councillor Chris Malette has indicated that All-Together Housing and Springale Development, responsible for the Great St. James Place affordable housing project in Belleville, is eager to make a proposal for the development.

The original development development plan would keep 0.75-1 acre of park space as shown below, including the existing playground (the playground structure is scheduled for replacement in the the 2026-27 Capital Budget) and community gardens:

After neighbourhood advocacy group Friends of West Hill Greenspace submitted a petition and presented a deputation before council arguing that the proposal would “result in the loss of existing community gardens, functional basketball court, and a multipurpose active park area”, the City staff have developed and recommended an alternative option which would provide almost 3x the park space, but 50 (33%) fewer housing units:

When the existing nearby greenspaces nearby are pointed out, Friends of West Hill Greenspace argue that many members of the neighbourhood are not able to walk to them, ask why they should have to leave the neighborhood to get to a greenspace and ask whether or not the opinion is coming from someone who lives in West Hill:

Open Council commentary

The Friends of West Hill Greenspace has advocated for more parkland, and council has listened.

Speaking for those who can’t speak for themselves:

The future residents of the 150 households living in the Queen Mary School affordable housing development request that the City proceed with the original option (Option #1) to increase the local supply of rental housing so that they can pay lower – ideally affordable – rent.

Questions

• Can we really afford to settle for 50 less homes just for an extra acre of green space?
• Why does the former school need to remain as part of every proposal as a stipulation of approval? What’s its going to be used for? Or are we just going to watch it rot over time?

Source

Timeline

Greenspace nearby

Walking distance to nearby greenspace:

• 16 minutes to Victoria Park
• 20 minutes to Sir McKenzie Bowell Park
• 21 minutes to Zwicks Park
• 24 minutes to Rotary Park
• 28 minutes Mary Anne Sills Park

City of Belleville Parkland and Recreation Master Plan defines parks and sizing as follows:

General Open Spaces – Are undeveloped lands that are accessible to the public, who may use them for active and passive recreation activities. These spaces may include pedestrian pathways, bicycle trails, community gardens, open lawn areas and remnant parcels of open land.

Neighbourhood Parks – Cater to the recreation needs of Belleville residents who live in the general vicinity of the park. Usually located within residential areas, park users can easily walk or bike to these parks. By reason of their location, access, or functional use, they offer a combination of active and passive recreation opportunities that generally serve one neighbourhood within the City of Belleville. They generally have an approximate minimum size of 1.0 hectares [2.47 acres] and include minor sports fields, multi-purpose sports courts, playgrounds, and informal play areas.

Parkettes – Are small open spaces that have no or limited recreational facilities. They are generally located in urban or residential areas, providing connections / transitions to larger parks and open spaces. They generally have a size of less than 1.0 hectare [2.47 acres] and include passive programming such as opportunities for seating (rest) and temporary gathering.

City of Belleville Parkland and Recreation Master Plan