2475 Regina St [Parkway House + Build Canada Homes] | 24/50/88m | 7/16/28f | Approved

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Neighbours concerned over group home's condo plan
Last Updated: Thursday, April 1, 2010 | 1:55 PM ET Comments1Recommend2
CBC News

West-end residents are meeting Thursday to discuss the plans of an Ottawa home for the physically disabled to have a developer build two residential towers on its land.

Parkway House, which lies in the middle of a two-acre lot on the end of Regina Street in Lincoln Heights, has been investigating the possibility of developing its land in partnership with Windmill Developments Group Ltd.

The developer has proposed plans to build two condominium towers —one 12 storeys and the other 20 storeys — and provide Parkway House with a new on-site building.

Parkway House board president James McLaren said the move would provide the home money at a time when fundraising has failed to keep up with operating costs.

If a solution isn't arrived at soon, McLaren said the home, which houses a dozen people requiring round-the-clock care, would close.

"What we've got in mind will basically erase our problem," said McLaren. "We will be able to operate in perpetuity."
Land would need to be rezoned

The issue for Parkway House is that the land it occupies comes with a property covenant that restricts it to institutional use. The property was originally owned by the Separate School Board and sold to the city, which turned it over to Parkway House in 1981.

So to go through with the plan, Parkway House needs to get the city to waive the covenant and rezone the land.

It also needs to convince the neighbours.

The Lincoln Heights-Parkway Community Association called a meeting at the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre for Thursday evening to give the community a chance to pitch Parkway House on other funding alternatives.

Association president Julia Goodman said the community doesn't want the home to go broke, but also has concerns about the developer's plan.

"The best outcome would be Parkway House stays, but not with two big buildings on either side of it," she said.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/04/01/ott-parkway-house.html#ixzz0jsTGv144

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