Former Queen Mary School Affordable Housing Project
Belleville to get public feedback on Queen Mary School: more housing, or more parkland?
In response to the community interest (petition and deputation) in preserving the West Hill Green Space, Staff have prepared an alternative option for the affordable housing project for Council’s consideration.
The options presented are:
- 150 units of affordable housing and 0.75-1 acre of parkland (original)
- 100 units of affordable housing and 2.7 acres of parkland (alternative)
Friends of West Hill Greenspace start petition
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”
We urge City Council to consider the long-term benefits of retaining, maintaining, and improving the existing West Hill Greenspace Park. Establishing and protecting greenspace parkland areas is an investment in physical and mental health, happiness, well being and quality of life within the West Hill community and the City of Belleville as a whole.
Belleville to accept proposals to lease Queen Mary School site
Council approved releasing a proposal package for the former Queen Mary School site which considered the redevelopment of the lands as an affordable housing project, excluding approximately 0.3 to 0.4 hectares (0.75 to 1 acre) of the land to be designated as parkland.
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:
Staff recognizes the importance of retaining parkland for the West Hill community and have included this as an objective for proposals to meet.
To ensure affordable housing will be affordable for the long-term, Staff recommend that the lands to be developed for affordable housing be leased rather than sold. By maintaining ownership, it provides the ability for the City to stipulate conditions such as construction timeline, selection criteria for tenants, and setting affordable rates.
Belleville marks former Queen Mary School for Affordable Rental Housing project
THAT the City staff work with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to develop a program to incentivize an Affordable Rental Housing based project at the Former Queen Mary School (Community Resource Center Quinte), after which COUNCIL will invite proposals with the following conditions;
- a 90 day open period with renewals at Council’s discretion
- a portion of the property to be identified by the City will be retained as public access park/playground (apprx. 1 acre +/-)
- submission of intended development concept of property including total number of units and amenities
- submission of expected total capital investment
- submission of timeline for development (expected start and completion)
- recognition that process will be open and public
Belleville puts Queen Mary School property up for sale
THAT pursuant to the Director of Corporate Services/Clerk’s Report No. DCS-2020-06, the property known as 41 Octavia Street be declared
surplus to the City’s requirements; andTHAT Management be directed to initiate a commercial listing of 41 Octavia Street (former CRCQ) with the City’s contract Realtor.
Belleville declares Queen Mary School surplus property
THAT management be directed to initiate the process to declare 41 Octavia Street, as surplus to the City’s requirements; and
THAT the lease agreement with Community Partners for Success be extended to August 31, 2019.