There are two things I know for sure. 1 oil will continue to increase in price and 2 food will be the world’s biggest problem. Thankfully the provincial gov. Has made law about expanding cities borders to protect farmland. This will be more and more strongly worded with time. It is with this that I ask you councillors to think beyond your elected times. (The one problem with democracy) Please please when approving properties think about vacant land adjoining it and make allowances for access to roads. A good case in point is the Borialis restaurant on Gordon st. It was approved to have access to Gordon st across from Vaughn st but there was no consideration for the vacant land behind it. So a little while later a plan for that land comes in and the access to Gordon st will be further south. A light at Vaughn for everybody would have worked. Second case is the one where I live at (1353 Gordon st) If the city planners would have thought down the road they could have made the developers give back to the city the land and thus make Arkell rd extend across Gordon giving way to further development south. Now if me and Mr. Stinson and Mr. Hamilton want to do something with our properties there will be more traffic interruptions on a busy street.
I think the best use for the 1299 or 1289 Gordon st is to keep that land for development 50 years from now. Make it like New Yorks central park. The wildlife in this area is so unique and rare that Guelph has got a gold mine a crown jewel that other cities will envy for a long time.
When the deal first went down the developers put a offer in on Mr. Stinson’s and our place and I thought ok i will get out of this mess. It turns out I think they only put a offer in on our property is to play the planners of this city like amateurs and get a private driveway to their apartment building. The deal was voided june 10 2012 . I can tell you I don’t like getting played and will not sell to them ever. I have made up my mind that if our land is going to be developed it will be by me.
So in short please plan this city 100 years from now (make the park) and if you can’t do that then at least plan 10 years from now and put Arkell rd extended. JS