Letters To The Editor – Mountain News
Nov 20, 2009
Re: Chedoke brow lands plan targets retirees (Nov. 13)

It seems to be a pattern in Hamilton whereby a problem arises, a mediocre plan is developed and neither side in the dispute is at all satisfied with the outcome

This pattern is soon to repeat itself with the “re-development” of the Chedoke brow lands.

Deanlee Management has submitted an official proposal to the city’s planning department that would see another exclusive, destructive and unsustainable development scar the face of our community, already in desperate need of a new attitude.

The units in this sprawling new development along the escarpment will start at $250,000, well out of the reach of a vast majority of the seniors in Hamilton.

Over 25 per cent of local senior citizens live in poverty, while countless others have trouble getting by on their dwindling pensions.

In a time of economic hardship, it is insulting to the people of this city to claim a new housing project will be “targeted to retirees” when, in reality, it fails to even make the appearance of inclusiveness.

Furthermore, this development will be ruthlessly destructive, carving through our community without regard for local heritage.

Deanlee’s plan will demolish the 92-year-old East Pavilion that was used to help rehabilitate soldiers returning home from the First World War.

Truly one of the saddest things about Hamilton is our seeming lack of respect for heritage buildings, especially ones with vibrant and often hidden histories such as this structure.

To destroy the East Pavilion would be removing it from our landscape and from countless generations to come that could have learned about their city’s magnificent past through it.

To simply add to the obvious problems with this development is the fact that it is single-use, adding nothing but extra traffic to an area already plagued by congestion.

No shops, theaters, parks, recreational facilities or institutional buildings such as churches and community centers will be part of this plan, and the addition of 1500 new residents will simply increase demand for all these services.

This entire development shows the same lack of foresight that has seen the rising prevalence of poorly accessible power centers fill the void in the community for desired services.

I strongly urge the planning department to study these facts and reject this proposal.

The expected $3 million in tax revenue will be eaten up in road maintenance, snow clearing and extra services the rapid influx of new residents will require.

The heritage of the area will be compromised, the exclusive nature of this program is appalling and the unsustainable development style will cause major problems.

If the planning department approves this proposal, I urge councillors to vote against it. If council accepts this plan, I urge the taxpayers of this city to show their disapproval to Deanlee Development, the city planning department and city council.

It’s not too late to save our community from another disastrous development.

Chris Erl, Hamilton Mountain

Chedoke Browlands Provide the Opportunity to Create a Real Neighbourhood

Who in the western half of Hamilton Mountain wouldn’t love their own little mountain-brow village

By >Jason Leach
Oct. 22, 2007

As the battle for the Chedoke Browlands continues, I must admit that I am disheartened not to hear a call from local residents or other residents of Hamilton to have this development become more mixed-use.

Imagine turning some of those old pavilions into mixed use buildings with lofts above and cafes/stores at the ground level with nice patios. Local folks from the west mountain could go for a stroll, do some shopping, have dinner and walk along the brow for a nice evening out.

Folks from other parts of the city would also come to enjoy the neighbourhood, much like people come from all over to enjoy Westdale and Locke South.

Bus service would need to be enhanced and it would be easier to make the case for better service with a bustling community taking shape.

The area is already easy to cycle and walk. Folks from Hamilton’s Southwest neighbourhoods could make the quick stroll up the escarpment stairs to enjoy this new neighbourhood in Hamilton.

Westdale was a successful planned community and continues to command great real estate values and prestige all these years later. I’m perplexed why we haven’t built another one.

More pointedly, I’m perplexed why City hall doesn’t demand such developments. Builders in Canada are fixated on box stores and highways, but who in the western half of Hamilton Mountain wouldn’t love their own little mountain-brow village like a mini-Westdale or Concession?

Hamilton has a few mixed-use districts in smaller neighbourhoods, but not nearly enough.

One of my favourites is on Emerson Street, south of McMaster. A few neat pubs and cafes mingle along with a convenience store, barber shop and a couple other small businesses.

The area around Aberdeen and Dundurn also has a similar vibe, although it’s a little too suburban with parking lots dominating three sides of the intersection instead of buildings lining the sidewalk.

Cannon just west of Ottawa is another one. A great meat market exists along with a few conveniece stores, video store and Italian grocery.

The lack of street parking doesn’t help this area as Cannon is still treated as a thoroughfare for people who DON’T live in the area instead of a mixed-use street which could house many amenities for local residents.

Back on the Mountain brow, some of these heritage buildings would lend themselves perfectly to anchoring a little ‘main street’ in this development.

If multi-storey condos are part of the plan, then simply build them in a similar fashion to Downtown Dundas – with storefronts at the sidewalk. Think Paris, not Toronto. Height isn’t necessarily better. Street presence, mixed-use and walkability are the goals.

It seems that many on Hamilton Mountain have given up any chance of retaining the uniqueness that was once associated with the mountain and areas like Concession Street.

Folks in this area, and other Hamilton neighbourhoods, deserve to have their own unique communities and districts.

We must voice our opinions to City Hall. otherwise, they’ll continue on this path of stripping away the uniqueness of Hamilton in an attempt to turn us into another boring place like Mississuaga or Burlington.

We deserve much better.

Jason Leach is a youth pastor at Living Hope Christian Assembly in Hamilton. He and his wife live downtown and have two children. Jason was a founding member of the Green Berets.

Height of buildings will be lower than initial proposals

Mark Newman, Hamilton Mountain News

A diagram of the proposed development of the Chedoke browlands by Deanlee Management. The numbers indicate the number of storeys for each building.

(Aug 24, 2007)

There won’t be any skyscrapers, but development plans for the Chedoke browlands call for at least one eight-storey building and two other complexes that could reach the same height as part of the proposal to build 750 units on the site.

If each unit has two occupants, the new development will bring another 1,500 residents to the west Mountain community over the next several years.

The request for an official plan amendment and by-law amendment were submitted early last week by Deanlee Management of Mississauga, who purchased the 9.6 hectare (24 acre) property from the Chedoke Health Corporation last spring with the deal expected to close in December 2008.

According to a concept drawing included among the box of documents submitted by Deanlee, the developer wants to build an eight-storey condominium complex in the middle of the browlands north of Scenic Drive and two, four- to six-storey condominium buildings on either side of Sanatorium Road at Scenic. According to the diagram, two six- to eight -storey condos are planned within the footprint of the two smaller units further back from the intersection.

In addition, an L-shaped, four- to six-storey building is planned for the north-west side of the property and a couple of rows of two- to three-storey condo townhouse units are planned along Scenic Drive, west of Sanatorium.

Several residents in the area sounded alarm bells earlier this year when previous development options floated

by Deanlee included three or four 12- to 14- storey buildings near Scenic and Sanatorium.

Deanlee director Ron Starr said they backed off from the higher structures following public complaints.

“It’s medium density,” Mr. Starr said. “We listened to the folks in the area.”

Regarding the number of units planned for the development, Mr. Starr called the 750 proposal “a good number for the site.”

All of the units are expected to be targeted at the high-end market, selling for upwards of $300,000 each.

The former long-term continuing care building near the brow that dates back to 1917 will be incorporated as part of the L-shaped building. Mr. Starr said they are hoping to save part of the structure.

Most of the other buildings on the site are expected to be torn down although the Long and Bisby building will be maintained. Mr. Starr said the daycare service currently operating in the building will likely remain there for at least the near future. He added the building could become home to a social agency some time down the road.

Mr. Starr said the green belt near the middle of the property west of Sanatorium will be expanded and left open as a rain-water catch pond and the woodlot east of Sanatorium will be turned over to the city and public access to local trails on the browlands will be maintained.

Deanlee, Mr. Star said, has spent about $500,000 preparing its submission to the city. The submission was expected to contain a number of reports including: an environmental impact statement, traffic study, archeological assessment, heritage assessment, a planning justification report and a functional servicing report.

“Hopefully we don’t have to go to the OMB (Ontario Municipal Board), but if we do, we’ve generated all the information we need to go ahead,” Mr. Starr said.

The developer is hoping to begin construction next spring, with the work being done in two or three phases, probably starting with the redevelopment of the former long-term continuing care building.

Mr. Starr said Deanlee has heard from about 12 area residents who have expressed interest in buying one of the units.

Brenda Khes, project manager of community planning at city hall, confirmed Deanlee’s application has been received.

She said the proposal will be reviewed by city planning staff to see if any issues need to be resolved. The proposal will also be sent to a variety of departments and community organizations such as the Niagara Escarpment Commission and Hamilton Conservation Authority for comment.

By late August or early September, the city will notify residents living within 120 metres of the site of the development proposal and provide a number to call for more information.

The next step would normally be for city staff to forward the proposal to the planning and development committee with a recommendation for or against approval.

But, at the request of Ward 8 councillor Terry Whitehead and with input from local residents, the city has begun a modified secondary planning process for the area that is expected to govern the size and scope of future development on the browlands.

Ms. Khes said nothing will go to committee until after the secondary plan is done and the public comments gathered as part of that process will be taken into account when Deanlee’s proposal is reviewed.

Under provincial law, the city must respond to Deanlee’s proposal within six months of receiving the application.

By Colwyn G. Beynon
The Hamilton Spectator

(May 24, 2007)

Settlement Integration Services Organization’s (SISO) attempt to turn beautiful Auchmar House into a reception centre for immigrants has fortunately failed. Much credit must go to some city councillors and a few brave local historians who put on the brakes.

With respect to Auchmar and its illustrious master, the Honourable Isaac Buchanan, a military museum describing the life and times of that great man would be of much more importance to the people ofHamilton.

Very little has been published about the historic past of Auchmar except for what the Rev. T. Melville Bailey wrote in Traces, Places and Faces in 1957.

Poor Mel. One of this city’s finest historians would surely roll over in his grave if he knew the impending fate of his beloved Auchmar estate. A dithering city council came very close to selling it off to a developer planning to fill up the grounds with barrack-like homes. It was soundly defeated by the public outcry.

The voice of the people really works — proven in this city’s past. What a dynamic lobby could be created if only all the local heritage groups spoke with one voice.

The National Historic Sites and Monuments Board and Parks Canada must be involved in future planning and in that respect, I have taken the liberty of asking Hamilton Mountain MP Chris Charlton to step up to the plate. I am awaiting a positive reply. Sitting on certain desks in Ottawa will have a positive affect on Auchmar’s future.

In 1986, then MP Peter Peterson assisted me in havingt he grand old Lieutenant Colonel John Weire Foote Armouries designated a “classified federal heritage building,” thus thwarting the Department of National Defence in their bid to drastically renovate the magnificent Victorian interior. We won.

The councillor who recently proclaimed, “Auchmar is not going to be a Dundurn” might choose to alter his rhetoric and listen to the people.

Isaac Buchanan’s close military and political connections with Hamilton are abundant and astounding. There is more than enough published and unpublished material about the place to have it designated a National Historic Site, with all the good things that come with that title — a designation that has eluded Auchmar for far to long.

Ticket buyers lining up to peer into Hamilton’s military past while enjoying the lifestyles of the 1830s to 1860s would certainly be what the old colonel would want for his precious estate.

The city-owned Military Museum, now stifled in the small gardener’s cottage at Dundurn Castle, would very quickly turn into a profitable enterprise. So, too, would the extensive Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Heritage Museum, currently located in the environmentally disastrous cellars of the armouries.

There is no doubt that many rooms at Auchmar would be rented out to heritage groups for meetings, seminars, etc.Perhaps the RHLI could be persuaded to mount scarlet-coated sentries on the estate on special occasions. I can imagine old Isaac’s voluminous laughter once again rolling through the arched passageways once the lights were turned down and the last visitor gone.

Colwyn G. Beynon, CD, is a historian of Hamilton Mountain, where he lives.