This intersection at Unity and Battersea road in Kingston will soon be seeing more traffic. This is because of a future inn and spa that’s being built there by BPE development, but the new development has some residents concerned.
“My concern is how it will affect the wells in this area,” says a resident Wendy Walker who has been living in the neighbourhood for four years.
Residents living in the Glenburnie area currently draw water from wells. They are worried that the new inn and spa will affect their water.
Rick MacFarlane has been living on Unity Road for 15 years and says, “Now there’s going to be at least two or three more wells probably on the same aquifer that we’re all drawing from so we’re wondering how long we’re going to be able to sustain water pressure and good water.”
Global News spoke with the District 1 Coun. of Countryside, Kingston, Gary Oosterhof who said, “All our value in our homes is based around water and so it’s like life for us. So in the country, we live with that and so when someone comes in and wants to fill out big tubs at spas and that kind of thing, then it’s a red alert for us.”
Even though water seemed to be the most common concern for residents, there are other factors such as proximity of the inn and spa’s entrance and driveway for delivery trucks that are worrying the community.
“We’re about 400 metres from the intersection but we still get and we still have people think that they’re turning at the intersection. We’ve had a couple of accidents right at the end of our driveway and this entranceway is going to be another 100 metres closer to the intersection” says resident David Pentey.
The traffic and noise are also factors for children who attend the public school right across from where the inn and spa are being built. But the community is not against new development — they just want more communication and certainty from BPE development.
“We need more certainty of what is actually going to be done here,” says Oosterhof.
Global News contacted BPE Development for a comment but did not hear back by time of publication.
“As long as all the checks and balances are in place, we’re happy,” says Pentey.
The community is planning to hold a meeting in the next couple of weeks to discuss their concerns and then take it forward to BPE Development for more clarity.
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