Do you want Burlington’s waterfront turned into tower alley? If no, join the campaign to Save our Waterfront. Click herel
The city’s official plan allows for two development options in the Old Lakeshore Road precinct, between Pearl and Torrance: those options are for 6-10 storey towers, or even worse, 8-15 storey towers. The area currently has 1-2 storey buildings, including 11 heritage properties – all but one of which would be lost under the second option.
See the video for details.
On Monday, July 6, city council unanimously passed design guidelines for the Old Lakeshore Road precinct. The guidelines essentially deal with streetscape and building design for the area, should the development proceed.
But the options in the official plan are a best case scenario. The 8-storey limit is already being appealed by one developer, and recent experience in Burlington has shown that “maximum” heights quickly become “minimum” heights when a developer wants more.
Even worse, council has already approved the Mayrose-Tycon development across the street from the Old Lakeshore Road precinct, on the lake side, which will allow a 22-storey tower and two 7-storey towers.
When that application was being considered, the proposal was to “concentrate urban development between Brant Street and Martha Street.” Development will push several streets past that if the Old Lakeshore Road precinct is developed according to the current official plan.
The end result will be a wall of towers along the water.
Many residents are unaware that this is coming. Those of us who have voiced our concerns are told:
1- the official plan allows for the heights already
2- we’ve got to intensify the area to meet growth targets in the provincial Places to Grow legislation
There are two problems with this thinking. If developers can seek official plan amendments to go “higher” than allowed, can’t residents seek amendments to go lower? We need to rethink our “plan.” Besides, just because we’ve already taken one step in the wrong direction, doesn’t mean we need to compound the error by taking another step in the wrong direction.
Second, there’s been no city-wide discussion about where the “intensification” to meet Places to Grow should occur. If you surveyed the city, it’s unlikely the majority of residents would say “Yes! Let’s put towers along our waterfront, blocking views and access to everyone but those who can afford to live there!” I would expect quite the opposite.
We’ve got to let the city know we don’t want towers on the lake, and we don’t want to compound the mistakes of this and previous councils by taking another step in the wrong direction.
So write a comment below or join the campaign to Save our Waterfront. Click herel
Let’s bring strength in numbers!
29 Comments
LEAVE THE OLD LAKESHORE PRECINCT THE WAY IT IS. KEEP BURLINGTON AS A “PEOPLE” CITY NOT A LITTLE MIAMI. LET TORONTO GROW TALLER AND MORE UGLY AND VOTE FOR US, NOT THE DEVELOPERS.
There is a sense,among my friends and neighbours, that City Council’s vision for the Downtown Core needs revisiting. It was Isaah Berlin who stated that , “Democracy does not mean rule by planners and experts, but by citizens.” Rightly or wrongly ,there is a perception that the comments and concerns of citizens are ignored by City Council; that public consultation meetings are mere window dressing without substance; and, that approval for requests by developers for zoning by-law amendments are the rule rather than the exception.
Development is a good thing as long as the development reflects the views of the community. The present development does not reflect the views of the community. City Council needs to go back to the drawing board to re-create a vision which is acceptable to the community.
As a lifelong resident of Burlington who cares a great deal about citizen inclusivity and the environment, I am opposed to the erection of multiple towers along the waterfront, hindering lakeviews and access for the people of Burlington to enjoy.I want to be part of a city that demonstrates vision and leadership by staying true to what matters – a quality of life provided to all respecting our cultural and natural heritage. Surely City staff and our political leaders can explore and implement solutions to meet our intensification projections without compromising our remaining greenspaces and access to the waterfront. Amy Schnurr – commenting as a citizen.
This proposal is absolutely wrong. Old Lakeshore Road is an important heritage area in Burlington, and I cannot believe they intend to destroy it in this way. The high rises in Burlington downtown have gone far enough, and any more, especially in the historic areas, will destroy what makes this city so special.
Walling off the lake is intensification gone mad. One of the reasons I moved to Burlington was our access to and sights of the lake. City Council must revisit its entire approach to planning along this piece of heritage. It must not be lost to myopic planning.
We definitely have enough tall buildings on the lake shore. While I am sure that City Hall eagerly awaits the increased tax base and we will all appreciate the increased traffic flow in an already congested area, this proposal should be quashed.
Not that will do any good to say so, since nobody wanted a Walmart at Brant and Fairview, but OMB approved any way over the objections of City Council, Local Business, and many residents.
Somebody ought to figure out how to clean out the cess pool that OMB has become.
I was born and raised in Burlington and, after having lived abroad for 10 years, my husband and I chose to return to live in Burlington. In the few years since I’ve been back, I have never been more disillusioned with the management and direction of the city that I know and love. I am appalled and, frankly, sickened at the lack of foresight and integrity demonstrated by City Council (past and present) over the development of downtown Burlington. Please don’t get me wrong. I am not opposed to downtown regeneration or even high density living. But, if in the process, the existence of parkland and heritage sites are threatened, the accessibility to the downtown core (including the hospital and waterfront) is in danger of becoming even more prohibitive, many of Burlington’s defining characteristics face destruction, and the foundations of our city seriously weakened by the short-sighted and profit-based plans of developers – what is the point? How do these plans provide for a healthy, inclusive and sustainable Burlington? As it is, Burlington is barely coping with the development, and subsequent demands on infrastructure, that has happened just within the past couple of years.
With these latest proposals, Burlington is on the brink of becoming yet another generic ‘boxstore’ city in the GTA – which will neither be sustainable, progressive, nor have any sense of identity or distinguishable characteristics. The only thing that city council will succeed in doing will be alienating the majority of Burlington’s existing residents and making the downtown core and waterfront completely inaccessible to those in whose name they claim to be representing. Many Burlingtonians already avoid the downtown because of increased traffic along Lakeshore Road.
The very least anyone can expect from their municipal government is that their city is protected – that its history and heritage are respected, that its nature is nurtured, and its citizens safe in the knowledge that every decision made is truly for the good and future health of the city. The fact that the way in which downtown Burlington has been redeveloped has been questioned from day 1, and that serious concerns have been raised by people who are not necessarily opposed to high-density living and regeneration, should be big clues to City Council that their chosen path isn’t necessarily the right path.
Pamela Ritchie.
Old Lakeshore road and the properties surrounding it represent an important historical aspect of Burlington’s heritage that must be preserved. Development is part of the change process but first public consultation with the citizens of Burlington must be done to obtain their views and ideas on how it can best be accomplished without destroying a key root of our beginning, that preserves the image of our highly valued city. The imput from these consultations must be seriously considered as part of the overall planning process.
Interested people can download the Council agenda for tomorrow’s meeting here: http://cms.burlington.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=12110
It is at 7pm in City Hall, 2nd Floor.
Burlington’s waterfront is a unique treasure to be cherished and preserved. Having lived in Toronto for the first half of my life I have witnessed firsthand the destruction and obstruction of that once beautiful waterfront. Toronto’s experience should be a legacy to be avoided at all cost not a model to be duplicated.
I oppose the building of high rises in the Old Lakeshore Road precinct.
Steven Seitz
What is happening to our unique city? I moved here with my husband a few years ago because of Burlington’s protection of the waterfront views and family atmosphere. Building high rise apartments and condos and taking away childrens’ green spaces are not ways to encourage families to move to this city. I definitely oppose the building of high rises in the Old Lakeshore precinct. Let’s hold on to the things that make this city unique and beautiful.
As new residents to Burlington, my husband and I decided to move here from Mississauga, because of the beauty Burlington, a smaller population and a beautiful waterfront.
I am very disappointed to read about these new towers being planned for Burlington’s waterfront! City Council will destroy what is unique about Burlington and have the ugly sprawl of so many other communities.
I am not opposed to new face lifts and improving tired looking buildings, but the waterfront should definitely be preserved and heritage buildings should be respected! City Council – do the right thing — it’s your responsibility!
Regards,
Miena Bishop
Old Lakeshore Road, once the site of Alice Peck’s “Treasury”, (the art gallery in which Robert Bateman first exhibited), of antique stores and up-scale restaurants, and of course, the Estaminet – a famous inn since 1919, still gives downtown Burlington a unique appeal. Instead of walling off the waterfront, why not follow the examples of Bronte, Port Credit, and other communities, that have leveraged their lakeside appeal by building in harmony with their traditional town cores?
As a resident of downtown Burlington for over 5 years, I have watched the tall buildings go up around my condo.
I think it’s terrible that the city is allowing this to happen, and it would appear they are trying to allow things to pass without public consultation. I haven’t received any notices to attend public meetings regarding the new proposed buildings as I believe is required given my proximity to the site.
Let me know how I can help block this development!
When will city council members, elected to represent each of us in our ideas, requests, hopes and dreams of this fine city, stop with their own agenda and work as a team with residents of Burlington. It would seem that the almighty dollar, taxes,presides over common sense. City staff seem to control council members and should it not be the other way around in our democratic society.
A wall of condos,hotels etc by the lake would turn our beautiful city into a Toronto. That is not what residents of Burlington want but city council does not listen. It would seem that the only way to bring control is through an election of all from the mayor down.
Paul Hanson…15 year resident.
I have lived in Burlington my whole life (over 30 years) and I remember when Brant Street and Appleby Lines had farms on them and Aldershot was also a bussling growing area, the land near Burlington Mall was all Apple Orchards. I used to like Burlington because it was everything Toronto wasn’t. Now I’m living in an area that is starting to look like a mini Toronto or Mississauga – YUK, time to get outta here!!!
It seems like we will lose our heritage buildings and local history because people and council are greedy for money!!!! Our city seems to be run by the green and I don’t mean greenspace.
The city of Toronto now realizes that the waterfront development of condo alley was a mistake and is trying to fix it. How Burlington cannot learn from the mistakes of Toronto is completely mind boggling and a total shame.
We very much disagree with more high-rise buildings being added to the already over developed city core. What are we leaving for our grandchildren? We are not being good stewards of our precious Lake Ontario shoreline and downtown City of Burlington, if we don’t try to change the thinking of the present City Council.
We are so lucky to have a great lake to enjoy. Why mess it up with high rises that create shade and windy corridors along the shoreline. No more high rises, please. Eleanor.
I am totally against the “development” of the Old Lakeshore Rd. and I like your idea of seeking an amendment to lower the height of the towers, but I feel “the fix is in” How would you go about seeking an amendment? As you say if the developers can do it for greater heights then surely it can be done to lower the towers. This council needs major changes.
From what I have learned there weren’t too many people around downtown 15 years ago. I thought the downtown was struggling. The village certainly is. The people come down to the waterfront because there is one. Do we want to turn the waterfront into another village?
If the current council isn’t working for it’s people who elected them maybe it’s time to send them packing and get someone on the council who knows they work for us not the contractors.
We are in total agreement with the concerns expressed in the above e-mails with regard to the opposition to more waterfront high rises in the downtown Burlington area. In fact, we believe any further development that restricts residents and visitors from accessing ANY of the City of Burlington’s waterfront is detrimental to our progress as a community.
I lived in Toronto for 20 years before moving to Burlington. Do not allow such ugliness to ugliness happen here.
My wife and I met at Emma’s Back Porch.
That was ten years ago now. Nice spot.
I avoid Toronto because it looks fake. Needlessly large. Trying to be something that it is not. (Cool.) My whole family (kids now) go down to Spencer Smith to enjoy that spot, but I have noticed lately that it’s atmosphere is being ruined by buildings. I don’t like gigantic panes of greenish tinted glass reflecting back at me. I prefer the sky. Although I like several humans, I don’t see the need to cram thousands of them in to one tiny spot and advertise that as being cool.
One vote against please
I support the “save our waterfront” program. I believe it is unfair to build these high condos and other buildings that cut off the view of the lake to the rest of the people of Burlington.
I am assounded at the lack of accurate information on this site. For those who are prepared to take an inpartial view at the situation, you will soon see that contrary to the stated position, new development would allow access to the lake though plazas and such, that is not currently available to anyone. Additonally, private money will cover the millions of dollars required to stablize the lakeshore, saving the city taxpayers from having to cover this cost (if the city were to buy this land) It will also add much needed tax revenue and jobs, both during any building and afterwards in the commercial developement that would accompany any residentual building.
Under the options prsented, most of heritage buildings at the east end of the section would not be touched. and accomodation for ground-level viewing the lake vould likely be improved, any any development would be over a substantial number of years.
If one is to present a true story then at least be honest enough to present all of the facts, not just those that enhances your point of view.
Are you planning to attend tonights meeting in City hall to defend Spencer Smith Park against the instalation of the old Freeman Station? J.V.
Marianne:
I know you have bigger project to work on but I was at Spencer Park yesterday and the goose poop is disgusting and I hope to spend alot of time there. My dog like most dogs likes the grass and if I want to stay off it but close to it, there is a bicycle path. I know this can be taken care of and I hope it will be done soon all the way from Brant St up to the Maple Ave entrance.
Keep up the good work.
Lucille Blaney