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Proposed subdivision unsafe according to neighbouring residents

'It’s an unsafe spot in perfect conditions. No snow, parked vehicles or buses. When one condition is altered it becomes treacherous...'

Tara Blake, one of many residents of Janey Avenue on Airport Hill, came out to a special committee meeting of council to oppose a proposed subdivision that she felt encroached on the quality of life of residents in the area, but most notably, on the safety of the many children in the area.

This 71-lot subdivision neighbouring Janey Avenue would be the fruit of a proposed rezoning application by Janey Avenue Inc. and Ski Ridge Estates Inc. for a portion of the vacant lands.

However, in the application, it noted there would only be one entrance into the subdivision—a narrow intersection between two homes connecting to Janey Avenue, and over Johnston Creek.

“The proposed road is at a difficult and unsafe junction,” Tara Blake explained during her presentation to members of council. “It’s an unsafe spot in perfect conditions. No snow, parked vehicles or buses. When one condition is altered it becomes treacherous. There are already approximately 22 kids within 120 meters of this site in addition to anymore to come as a result of the subdivision.”

Presenters told members of council the non-sidewalk road is narrow, dips down and bends at the proposed intersection and would be welcoming disaster. But city staff don't share the same concerns at this time, with no planned traffic study and only a third-party engineer being recommended to design the intersection for the detailed plan.

More so, residents were also concerned with having a bridge over the Creek, not knowing the full detail of the designs until after the draft approval of the applicant. However, the representative for the proponent, Rick Miller of Miller and Urso Surveying, told members of council there was no plan to install a bridge across the Creek, but a culvert instead.

But safety aside, Blake felt there was no need for another stock of vacant lots in the area, citing North Bay’s population decline and pre-existing vacancies on Airport Hill.

“Why is another neighbourhood necessary,” she asked members of council. “Why do we need shovel ready lots all over Airport Hill? We don’t need to move forward with new lots. More housing isn’t going to attract more people to North Bay—It’s industry and jobs. If we don’t have population growth and keep building, what happens to other neighbourhoods? We should be looking at revitalizing older neighbourhoods.”

However, it was pointed out that there was an abundance of preliminary work that went into the project, with something of this magnitude having a substantial upfront cost, a commonplace occurrence for residential developments.

Miller and some members of council tried reassuring members of the public that this process at the committee level was standard practice in North Bay and other municipalities, with detailed designs and proposals being completed after approval of a draft recommendation by the committee level. This didn’t stop chair of Community Services, Coun. Mark King from keeping the application on committee with the intention of having members of staff, the applicant, and members of the neighbourhood engage in further dialogue.


Ryen Veldhuis

About the Author: Ryen Veldhuis

Writer. Photographer. Adventurer. An avid cyclist, you can probably spot him pedaling away around town.
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