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Workshop discussed future of OTMH lands By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Area residents got an idea of what the future could hold for the existing OakvilleTrafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) lands, earlier this month, during a special workshop organized by the Town. Planning consultant Brian Bowen presented four options at the Town Hall event, outlining possible designs for the 5.38-hectare area, which is bounded by Macdonald Road, Reynolds Street, Allan Street, and Wallace Park Lane. The fate of the existing hospital lands has been a hot topic of discussion since it was announced OTMH would be vacating the land and moving to a new site (Third Line and Dundas Street) in 2015. In coming up with the options, Bowen was restricted by the policies of the approved Livable Oakville Plan, which identify the OTMH lands as a potential residential redevelopment area. The policies state the lands may be redeveloped with low and medium density housing forms (detached and semi-detached dwellings, townhouses and low-rise apartments) at an overall density of 29 units per site hectare. Input received from the community at the visioning workshop in June 2010 and through stakeholder interviews in 2011 was also strongly in favour of residential redevelopment on the OTMH lands within the parameters established by the Livable Oakville Plan. interior and along the southern edge of the residential area, which would end just north of Wyndham Manor. In this option, the area south of Wyndham Manor would go untouched. Option 1B is almost identical to Option 1A, however, this option retains the Lawson building, located at the most North Eastern portion of the study area, so it can be converted into a low-rise apartment building. Option 2A would see a minor community centre added to the area as part of the renovation and expansion of the existing Oakville Curling Club facility located in the southern portion of the study area. In a report, Bowen stated the expanded multi-purpose facility would combine ice pad expansion with new community spaces/ meeting rooms on additional floors within the existing building. Option 2B would see the building of a minor community centre as part of the restoration of the old Oakville Trafalgar High School facility in the middle study area, adjacent to Wyndham Manor. In this design, Bowen called for a mixeduse facility combining community uses on lower floors with two storeys of residential apartments on the upper floors. While OTMH will be vacating the study 11 · Thursday, March 15, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Oakville residents presented with four options, including housing developments area in 2015, it might be some time before any new construction takes places there. According to Town staff, following the departure of OTMH, a comprehensive assessment of the existing hospital facility and soils will need to be done to identify, quantify and delineate the presence of any hazardous substances and contamination. The removal of hazardous substances would need to be carried out before the hospital facility's demolition, which would be followed by the clean up of any contaminated soil. The cost and time required to complete such work would depend on what is found at the site. Town staff said the entire process could take up to two years. Reusing the main hospital building for some other purpose is not being proposed, said Town staff, as it is typically more costly to retrofit and upgrade a building that was constructed for a specialized purpose than it is to construct a new building in its place. A summary of the input received at this design workshop will be posted on the Town's website by the end of March 2012. For more information, visit www.oakville. ca/business/ot-memorial-hospital-landsstudy.html. "A comprehensive assessment of the existing hospital facility and soils will need to be done to identify, quantify and delineate the presence of any hazardous substances and contamination." Oakville Town staff, on what will follow the departure of the OakvilleTrafalgar Memorial Hospital from its current location With this in mind, Bowen presented four options for residents to comment on. Option 1A proposed scaled blocks and connections with new public streets running through the site. This option would see detached singlefamily homes frame the northern edge of the site and townhouses clustered within the site 2012 LINCOLN MKZ $ 399 00* +HST /MONTHLY 48 MONTH LEASE V6 FWD STK. #2L015 570 Trafalgar Road · 905.844.3273 · www.oak-land.com *Vehicle may not be as illustrated. Total due on delivery: $694.53 + licensing. Guaranteed future value: $15,249.40+ applicable taxes. Total of all monthly charges is $22,024.80 over 48 months, inclusive of HST. Lease kilometre allowance is 16,000 kms/year for a total of 64,000 kms at end of 48 months. $0.16 + HST is charge for every kilometre driven over 64,000 kms. Owner to arrange automotive insurance. See Oak-land Ford Lincoln for complete details. Must be a member in good standing of Costco on or before Nov. 30, 2011. Costco rebate and all manufacturer's rebates applied Oak-land Lincoln