Kitchener council approves development of three new high-rises

On Monday Kitchener councilors moved forward with a plan to construct three new housing projects.

The first will be built between 528 and 550 Lancaster Street West, consisting of four towers between 12 and 34 storeys tall and will contain a total of 1,300 new residential units.

The location of the site was a source of controversy during Monday’s meeting, due to a number traffic and environmental concerns and issues over a lack of Indigenous consultation.

The building site is next to a portion of the Grand River, containing three homes and more than 200 mature trees.

These concerns caused a number of residents to delegate against the buildings approval including resident, Kelly Zuk.

“When will we learn. When will we as a species learn that developing out green spaces is harmful to all living things. When will we listen to our scientists and stop listening to greed.”

Another delegate who opposed the Lancaster development which will be built next to a portion of the Grand River was William Martin a member of the Six Nations.

“Our land is being stripped. We used to have 950,000 acres of land along the Grand River, we [now] have 48,000, and ever year that’s deteriorating.”

Despite this the building was approved for construction by council 9 votes to 2.

The developers of the Lancaster property Vive Development and MHBC Planning presented a number of community benefits that could be included in the development to council Monday.

Those include a $200,000 cash contribution to a local park amenity in the Bridgeport community, as well as a $20,000 contribution to The Working Centre every year for the next ten years.

Stephen Litt with Vive Development said during Monday’s meeting, for the three homes that would be impacted by the construction, new heritage plaques will be provided and the displaced tenants will be offered units within the new building a their current rental rate, for the next five years.

The two other approved buildings include one at the corner of Weber and Franklin which will be mixed-use with two towers standing 17 and 19 storeys tall.

It will contain 443 new residential units, 423 bike spaces and 319 parking spaces.

The final building is planned for Weber Street near Montgomery Road and will contain 481 units with a 17 and 27-storey tower.

It will also include a eight-storey podium connecting the two.