It’s what Peterborough city council would reconsider, putting the cart before the horse, as residents from a neighbourhood in Peterborough’s west end were up in arms over a proposal to build a Tim Hortons with a drive-thru at the corner of a new subdivision along Parkhill Road West and Chandler Crescent.
Residents like Galen Eagle who presented at council on Monday night, were concerned with the timing of the Tim Hortons construction project while the roadway and intersection construction were still under development.
“I would ask city council to at least hold off on approving this commercial development until significant improvements are made on Parkhill Road and particularly at Parkhill Road and the Chandler Crescent intersection,” said Eagle. “A drive-thru at this location is simply not a good idea.”
That feeling was echoed by his neighbour Randall Skelton who told council, it’s not the right time for this development to take place.
“My concern was traffic and my concern was timing but my real concern was that we got it right,” said Skelton.
It appeared those around council table got the message, loud and clear, as both councillors, Henry Clarke and Don Vassiliadis, said roadway development should come first before commercial projects took shape.
“Reconstruction of Parkhill Road is necessary before any other development like a Tim Hortons or drive-thru restaurant goes in there,” said Vassiliadis.
Clarke applauded all sides in coming to an agreement.
“Thank you to the staff for working with the developer, and to the developer himself for agreeing that this should not happen until the road is constructed.”
Council then heard a presentation by professional and local artist and Ad-hoc Arts Committee member Sarah Gibeault who made a presentation to council asking them to consider implementing a new property tax class for artist-run hubs, and cultural incubators like the artist-run facility at Water and Hunter streets, located in the old Commerce Building.
“You are undoubtedly aware that Peterborough is losing affordable spaces in its downtown as it undergoes a process similar to the Toronto market of gentrification and densification,” said Gibeault. “Incidentally, these artists are forced out of the area through rising rents.”
City staff will bring a report back to council regarding the tax break incentive and its potential, while consulting with the Ad-Hoc Arts Committee and the province to examine options as in Toronto where they have created a new tax category for non-profit art hubs in the community.
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