SWAP - South West Area Plan

[go_leafs_go02]

London Free Press has an interesting article on this issue today:

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2.../15040021.html

a few detailed points:


The heart: A mixed used area on Wonderland Rd. between Exeter and Wharncliffe roads, with light industrial lands to the southeast giving way to residential properties to the west. Even commercial and industrial enterprises would have appealing architecture and Wonderland would be transformed into a multi-lane, boulevard-like gateway to the city.
The neighbourhoods: Narrow, tree lined streets with inviting home fronts -- (goodbye snout houses), a grid pattern of streets, with cars in the back of houses, and higher densities than in many areas.

The green space: Dingman Creek will provide the spine of green space in the region, which will include new local parks, pedestrian trials, bike paths and linking of existing spaces and the hydro corridor -- all the way to Westmount.

White Oaks and Exeter roads: Wharncliffe will change from a commercial artery with "little sense of place" to mixed use corridor with road connections to neighbourhoods, still separated from light industry by green space.

Retail growth: No need for new retail centres, but existing and planned centres on Wonderland and Southdale, Wharncliffe and Talbot roads need "rounding out."

Lambeth: Not only would the main street remain centre of village, it would be enhanced.

I'm not really for back lanes in London, for a few reasons, mainly being snow removal and security issues as well as higher maintance for more paved surfacing.

But this should be interesting. It definitely feels like London is behind a bit compared to the new developments going around in the GTA.

MOD - maybe it is best to merge posts from Population Projections on this matter into this thread.

[manny_santos]

I like the ideas the City is putting forward, but they need to have the balls to stand up to developers. The wants of profit-driven developers need to be silenced for the good of the people as a whole. The city needs to take planning into its own hands and do things the way they need to be done for our own good, not the profits of developers.

[MolsonExport]

Sounds good, but as they used to say, "where's the beef?"

[go_leafs_go02]

One thing it mentions however, is that London does attract residents because they prefer the single-family suburbia to live in. If it's not offered, you may be discouraging potential home-buyers to look elsewhere.

However, there is plenty of suburbia, it's just the new stuff that I think should be curbed.

[jammer139]

The 2019 Southwest Area Plan link.


https://london.ca/sites/default/file...-Plan_AODA.pdf

[MolsonExport]

filled with pictures of places that don't exist in London, and that probably never will. It is more about marketing the plan, than about the plan.

They are also forgetting that Wonderland Road is the worst Stroad in London. And that is saying a lot.

[jammer139]

Updating the SWAP to remove references to 1989 official plan. Document has maps showing land use designations.


https://pub-london.escribemeetings.c...cumentId=93256

[CanadianTalk]

Funding approval has been received from TVDSB to build a new elementary school in SW London.

The new school will fit 804 students and will be located at the northeast corner of Pack Road and Regiment Road (just west of Bostwick Road)

https://london.ctvnews.ca/new-tvdsb-...tage-1.6120405

[jammer139]

Great news. Realistically it will likely take 5 years meaning opening in Sept 2027. Given the thousands of new homes going into this area over the next 5 years plus the thousands more in the following decade this is much needed. Hopefully the city extends Bradley over to connect to Pack Rd asap and rebuilds Pack Rd has a minimum 3 lane if not 4 lane road with proper bike lanes and turning lanes.



Of interest is the current TVDSB elementary school enrolment numbers. Although some schools see over enrolment others are way below capacity and in general across the entire system we see declining student populations across the province.



https://www.tvdsb.ca/en/our-board/re...b_20211031.pdf

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

Funding approval has been received from TVDSB to build a new elementary school in SW London.

The new school will fit 804 students and will be located at the northeast corner of Pack Road and Regiment Road (just west of Bostwick Road)

https://london.ctvnews.ca/new-tvdsb-...tage-1.6120405

[MolsonExport]

The traffic on Colonel Talbot Road is already horrible.

The London (aka Josh Morgan) way:
Rebuild road minimally (2 years of construction)
Rezone and let it grow.
Rebuild road again (marginally expanded, with curbs/sewers, no lights, no median: 3 years of constuction)
SimCity 2000
Rebuild road again (extra lanes, concrete medians, traffic lights, etc: the way it should have been build right from the start:3 years of construction).

[tyeman200]

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

Funding approval has been received from TVDSB to build a new elementary school in SW London.

The new school will fit 804 students and will be located at the northeast corner of Pack Road and Regiment Road (just west of Bostwick Road)

https://london.ctvnews.ca/new-tvdsb-...tage-1.6120405

Good news, but also sad that a school is built that big. I would rather see like 3 small schools, with populations of like 300 or less kids. That enhances walking to school, less parents driving their kids, and less buses being needed. I hardly see kids walking to school anymore, most are all driven or bussed.

[tyeman200]

Originally Posted by jammer139

Of interest is the current TVDSB elementary school enrolment numbers. Although some schools see over enrolment others are way below capacity and in general across the entire system we see declining student populations across the province.

https://www.tvdsb.ca/en/our-board/re...b_20211031.pdf

It's worth noting that the schools under capacity happen to be rural schools or ones that are in older neighbourhoods. Most of the overpopulated ones are in new or highly populated areas.

[inimrepus]

Originally Posted by tyeman200

Good news, but also sad that a school is built that big. I would rather see like 3 small schools, with populations of like 300 or less kids. That enhances walking to school, less parents driving their kids, and less buses being needed. I hardly see kids walking to school anymore, most are all driven or bussed.

On the other hand though big schools allow the school to have more specialized programming.

[jammer139]

Small schools add huge additional costs in terms of more land wasted, more staff employed, more energy and maintenance costs. No it makes Zero financial, environmental or social sense to have small schools. A terrible idea in every way.

Originally Posted by inimrepus

On the other hand though big schools allow the school to have more specialized programming.

[jammer139]

Next block of lands just west of Bostwick Rd zoning application showing the proposed realignment of the road. This would continue Savoy St further north.



Draft Plan of Subdivision and Zoning Amendment to allow:
• A residential subdivision consisting of five (5)
medium density residential blocks. The
development will be served by one (1) new
public road.



https://london.ca/sites/default/file...NoticeAppl.pdf