London, Ont. committee votes down homeless hub rezoning for 743 Wellington Rd.

The site of an old radio station in south London, Ont., will not be rezoned to allow a potential homeless hub.

The site at 743 Wellington Rd., which used to house CJBK, is in the process of being rezoned to allow for more permitted uses, but not for emergency care establishments, essentially quashing any plans for a hub there.

City staff had recommended approving the applicants request to rezone the site from Restricted Office (R01) Zone to Restricted Office Special Provision (R01(_)) Zone which would allow clinics, emergency care establishments, medical/dental laboratories, business service establishments, daycares, personal service establishments and financial institutions uses.

Planning and environment committee members voted to remove “emergency care establishments” as a permitted use in the rezoning.

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis was happy to support removing that use, but was adamant that clinical care be allowed.

“I know that there’s a physician recruiter who has at least looked at the property. Whether it’s suitable or not for a medical clinic, I don’t know, but that’s up to them to decide but I wouldn’t want to take that opportunity away.”

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Still, a public participation meeting drew area residents wishing to speak on the now fruitless plans for a hub location.

“It would further compromise our neighbourhood,” said area resident Tracy Gilders. “And we should be allowed to dispute this right now even though a hub is not on the table.”

Ian Skinner was one of the few who spoke positively of a hub at the meeting.

“Yes, maybe we will attract a few more homeless people, but we’re going to make a positive impact in the long run with some sort of support.”

Ward 11 Coun. Skylar Franke stressed that there’s no longer any intention for a hub location there and this was not an appropriate time for the discussion.

“If there were to be a hub location, there would be further dialogue, discussion, making sure it checks all the boxes and it would come back to council for permission and for funding. We are talking about something that’s not even in front of us.”

Council will have final say on the rezoning on June 4.

— with files from Global News’ Ben Harrietha

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