There was more green than yellow dotting two options for Wellington Place lands at the public meeting on May 25, but citizens offered some strong opinions about what they would like to see at the county-owned lands.
Green meant approval, and yellow stood for disagreement with what was proposed.
The county has placed a senior citizens home and an OPP detachment on the property, a new Groves hospital is planned for it, and council decided that it should consider what it will do with the entire property.
Much of it will remain as agricultural lands and open spaces, which met the approval of many.
County councillor Shawn Watters told the audience planning for the property is to consider the next 50 to 100 years.
Planner Bernie Hermsen, of MHBC Planning, presented the concept plans for the property, including two options. He noted that at a previous public meeting the county did a survey and there was 100 per cent agreement that protection of the natural environment is paramount with anything done to the lands.
In both of the plans, residents voted overwhelmingly against extending Garafraxa Street in Fergus into the lands. That is a request by hospital officials.
Residents were asked to place notes on the two large concept plan maps, and the overwhelming majority opposed that proposal. One noted there is currently a house located at the end of Garafraxa Street.
Many others pointed out the extended street would cross walking trails not once, but twice, and they were adamantly opposed to that. The Elora to Cataract trail, located to the north of the property along Colborne Street, already has a service road crossing the trails, and that was bitterly opposed by many at the time the road was built. Trail aficionados insist they do not want that to happen again.
On the other hand, they did like the proposal for expanded walking trails and links between those and existing trails. The trails are designed to provide the best scenic views for hikers from the property, Hermsen pointed out.
In both concept plans, the street entering the property off Beatty Line would run between two trails, and not cross them.
In both plans there is a roundabout proposed. It would be located at the curve on the service road and could accommodate the Garafraxa Street extension.
There is also a commons being proposed. It is set at six acres and would allow for a grass and treed public park. Nobody objected to that proposal, but many said it should be at least ten acres.
There would be at least two more interior roads. There are civic uses set aside behind the museum parking lot, and one road would then run between those and the proposed commons, and join another road that would enter the property at Beatty Line. That road would also connect to the roundabout.
Just to the south of the commons would be designated educational lands.
Hermsen told the audience Conestoga College has a nursing program, and it might make sense to have a nursing school located on the property, given that the hospital and Wellington Terrace Seniors Home are both going to be nearby.
Adjacent to the hospital is proposed “supportive housing,” a proposal that did not sit well with residents living along County Road 18. Several of them were heard arguing against that proposal, even though planners pointed out the housing would be conveniently located close to the plaza on the east end of Fergus.
Both plans designated lands for heritage farming, where that is currently done for demonstration at museum events.
Plan B offered a couple of different options. It placed the road running behind the museum adjacent to the commons, with the civic uses on the other side. It included also the educational lands, civic uses and supportive housing.
Also in both plans, the lands in front of the museum would remain unchanged. Further, the lands the county owns across County Road 18 right to the Grand River are designated for natural areas and would remain unchanged.
Citizens were asked to comment on both plans using sticky notes. A quick look seemed to indicate that plan B was the preferred option by citizens.
To see the executive summary and layouts for plans A and B, click here.
