A proposed boarding house near downtown Brockville, Ont., is causing concern for nearby residents. The plan hit the city’s planning committee meeting Tuesday night, with many voicing opposition to the project.
David Duc has owned and operated a bed and breakfast in downtown Brockville for the past decade and says over that time the business has proved successful thanks in part to the gentrification of the neighbourhood.
“You can tell just by looking at the properties and the businesses that are relocating in the area that things are looking up,” Duc said. “This, I think, would be a major step back.”
It’s a building a block away that’s causing concern for Duc and other residents near 86 John St.
Mirabel Property Management is hoping to turn the former fur depot into an 18-room boarding house for transient residents. According to Duc, the combination doesn’t make for a good mix.
“There’s a public school that is literally across the street,” Duc said. “That kind of a development is not in keeping with the neighbourhood itself, which is predominantly single detached houses.”
But Mirabel says there’s no need to worry about unwanted individuals moving into the neighbourhood, saying in a statement to Global News: “That’s why we have a sex offender registry,” adding “Low income Canadians can, of course, live near schools.”
In addition to a boarding house coming into this neighbourhood, Duc says it’s the property management company that worries him the most about this situation. In the two years it’s owned the building, the lawn has only been mowed twice, including the most recent time, which was just a few hours before Tuesday’s public meeting.
The company told Global News it understands the lawn maintenance had fallen behind and that “it won’t happen again because we understand it’s a requirement.”
This isn’t the first time a boarding house has operated in downtown Brockville but a lack of parking could hinder this project.
The 18 rooms should each come with their own dedicated parking space. The property management company is asking for exemptions, but Mayor Matt Wren says it’ll be hard to accommodate.
“We’d be creating a dangerous precedent to approve a residential complex with that number of occupants and no parking,” Wren said. “Now, I’m only one vote, I’m not sure how other councillors will feel, but I think that’s a huge factor in this application.”
However, the company claims that their tenants would be less likely to own a vehicle and that parking spaces won’t be needed. Adding the proximity of public transit would be of benefit.
Tuesday’s public meeting was the first time the project was brought to city hall, meaning it could be months before any decisions are made.
Mirabel also takes issue with the city’s use of the term ‘Boarding House’ when referring to the proposed facility, instead referring to it as a ‘maisonette dwelling’ proposal.
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