; "New Clayton Park West development will bring overdue road connection")
A major development recently approved for Clayton Park West has some residents concerned about the density and height of the project, but the area councillor says it comes with benefits in a good location.
On Tuesday, the Halifax and West Community Council approved development agreements, including high-level plans, for Regency Links.
The project, from local developer Joe Ramia’s Septra Incorporated, will create about 3,830 residential units across 18 buildings. They range in height from 16 to 28 storeys, with some buildings having townhome-style units on the ground floor, and commercial space for restaurants and businesses.
Regency Park Drive will also be extended as part of the development, making a connection between Lacewood Drive and Washmill Lake Drive.
But resident Elaine Godin was one of multiple residents during the public hearing Tuesday who called for traffic safety improvements along Washmill Lake now. She said traffic lights are needed at the Grandhaven Boulevard intersection, where multi-unit buildings sit.
;Resize%3D796)
“Until something is done about the existing problems, no development will diffuse the powderkeg that is our, and your, reality,” Godin said.
Darrell Spurr also lives in a building on Washmill Lake Drive, and said he knows of multiple collisions that have happened in the area. He would like a four-way stop near the intersection with his building to keep pedestrians safe.
“We’re talking about people’s lives up there. They’re not your kids, they’re ours,” Spurr said.
“And yes, we are pissed, okay? You’re talking about putting these buildings up there, these huge buildings.”
Residents also brought up concerns about the scale of the development not fitting the current mid-rise apartments in the area, and increasing strain on local schools and facilities like the nearby Keshen Goodman library, and Canada Games Centre.
Halifax planner Dean MacDougall said during the meeting that Regency Park Drive was always supposed to connect with Washmill Lake, but it was built in pieces as development evolved over the past few decades and never finished.
“The design of these streets really thought that this connection was going to happen. And so a lot of the pressures that are being felt by the community [are] largely because this connection hasn’t been built yet,” MacDougall said.
New traffic lights included in plans
A set of traffic lights will be built at the new corner of Regency Park and Washmill Lake, which area councillor Janet Steele said should help traffic flow and safety.
Steele said while there is a lot of density on the site, developing an area with water and sewer services in place makes sense. She said the higher population will also help bring better transit to the area.
“I prefer to see increased population, increased density in an area like this where we already have multi-unit residential,” Steele said.
“It’s infill housing. We already have a lot of the infrastructure in place. I see this as perhaps less costly for the city to serve in the long run as well.”
The Regency Park Drive extension will include sidewalks and dedicated bicycle lanes, the report said, and requires converting a “small portion” of the Mainland Common to allow for the street.
The project will see about 1.5 hectares of parkland, including new trails, to connect into the existing Mainland Common and Greenpark Close Park. A playground and sport courts are also planned.
Developer paying for new road extension
Cesar Saleh of WM Fares Architects spoke on behalf of the developer Tuesday, and said about half the housing units will be one-bedrooms, half two-bedrooms, with about 5 per cent as three bedrooms.
When asked about price points, Saleh said they intend the project to be “fair market” only, with no plans for affordable housing. He said this is necessary because the developer is paying more than $12 million for the road extension, which must be built first before they can bring in any revenue from new buildings going up.
Coun. Kathryn Morse, who represents the neighbouring Halifax- Bedford Basin West, said she originally had a lot of concerns with the density of the proposal. But, she said after speaking with staff she feels that a lot of issues have been considered — and having the developer foot the bill for the road extension is “a good situation.”
Morse said while there are plans for a new junior high in the area, other investments and plans for recreation and library space will likely have to be made.
“I have some concerns about the details, but we’re not here to talk about the details,” Morse said.
“As this evolves and develops, we will know more about it.”
Saleh said the road extension will be built first, and construction could start next year after the design and permitting stage.
It would be at least two years before the first buildings start going up, Saleh said. The entire project will be done in phases, over 20 years.
MORE TOP STORIES
