The follwing editorial appeared in the May 3 edition of the Guelph Tribune.
Ever since the Liberal government at Queen’s Park came up with its Places to Grow legislation a few years ago, there has been local concern about how the province’s demand for major population growth in the already built-up areas of Guelph can be reconciled with preservation of the historic feel of the downtown. The downtown secondary plan that was approved by council Monday tries to strike a balance in this regard, but only time will tell if it succeeds.
Certainly, there were warnings Monday that things could spin out of the city’s control. Unto Kihlanki, representing the Guelph chapter of the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism, wanted all downtown buildings kept at six storeys or less. Indeed, six storeys remains the maximum allowable height for most downtown property under the new secondary plan, but buildings up to 18 storeys are now allowed in certain places. Kihlanki warned that permitting some highrises could set a precedent for developers to seek other tall buildings in places where the city doesn’t want them to go. The Ontario Municipal Board, where developers often go when they don’t get what they want from city governments, “is unpredictable and beyond our control,” he said.
However, city planners say they can make the new secondary plan stick. And perhaps to no one’s surprise, council didn’t heed Kihlanki’s urging that it “step back from the precipice” by rejecting highrises. Instead, council overwhelmingly supported the plan, in what Coun. Ian Findlay called “a watershed moment for the downtown.”
The secondary plan is certainly a daring document. The intention to buy and demolish two strip malls and two other commercial properties south of Wellington Street, in order to create more riverside parkland in the downtown, stands out for its boldness. The secondary plan also dares to emphasize not just building size, but also design excellence – what some people have referred to as “building beautifully” in the downtown.
It’s been a long time in the making, and now the secondary plan has set the stage for what could be some amazing things happening downtown in coming years. With the first proposal for an 18-storey mixed-use condo tower coming to council for approval on May 7, change could start quickly. Get ready, get set, grow.