durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, March 24, 2022 | 12 Keep Your Keys Safe! Order key tags online. 1 800 250-3030 waramps.ca If you lose your keys with a War Amps tag attached, we can return them to you by courier, free of charge. REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHARGES FOR REGIONAL TRANSIT SERVICE On April 27, 2022, the Council of the Region of Durham will hold a public meeting, pursuant to Section 12 of the Development Charges Act, 1997. This public meeting will be held to present the proposed Regional Transit Service Development Charge By-law, along with the related underlying background study, and obtain public input on both the proposed by-law and study. The public meeting is to be held on: Wednesday, April 27, 2022 9:30 a.m. The Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters Council Chambers 605 Rossland Road East Whitby, Ontario In order that suffuffuf icient inforforf mation is made available to the public, copies of the proposed by-law and the background study will be made available as of April 12, 2022, upon request. The documents will also be posted on the Regional website, at durham.ca, on April 12, 2022. To submit written correspondence to Regional Council, contact Legislative Services by email at clerks@durham.ca, or mail your comments to the Regional Clerk, Regional Municipality of Durham, 605 Rossland Road East, Whitby, ON L1N 6A3 by 5:00 PM on Friday June 3, 2022. If you wish to make a delegation beforeforef e Regional Council at the public meeting, submit your request in writing to delegations@durham.ca by noon on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. Members of the public who register in advance of the meeting will be provided with the details to delegate electronically. Please note that this meeting will be held in an electronic meeting forforf mat with limited in-person participation. Notwithstanding the above, if in person attendance is required, arrangements must be made by emailing clerks@durham.ca prior to the meeting date to discuss the accommodation. Members of the public are strongly encouraged to view the meeting via live streaming at www.calendar.durham.ca/meetings as an alternative to attending the meeting in person. Infornfornf mation you provide or present during the public meeting, including your name, are subject to the requirements of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This will fofof rm part of the public record and may be made available to the public. All submissions received in writing, as well as those opinions expressed at the Public Meeting, will be considered prior to Council's decision. Council's decision is anticipated during the regular Regional Council meeting of June 29, 2022. Further infornfornf mation may be obtained by contacting Mary Simpson, Director of Risk Management, Economic Studies and Procurement, Regional Finance Department at 905-668-4113 (ext. 2301) or mary.simpson@durham.ca. Cheryl Bandel Acting Regional Clerk / Director of Legislative Services THANK YOU FOR MAKING US YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION FIND UP-TO-DATE LOCAL COVID-19 NEWS ONLINE DURHAMREGION.COM/CORONAVIRUS A vacant school with a long history in Oshawa is getting a new lease on life -- as affordable housing. The Region of Durham purchased the site for $7.49 million, taking possession on Jan. 26. The school, located on Ritson Road near Olive Avenue, has been sitting vacant for years after Durham District School Board trustees voted to close it in 2012, along with Harmony P.S. and Duke of Edinburgh P.S. The board put the property up for sale last year. Oshawa Regional and City Councillor Brian Nicholson says affordable housing is much needed in central and south Oshawa. "The price of housing today in the private sector is just insane. I'm hearing people are paying $2,000 just to get a two-bedroom apartment. How do people live?" Nicholson says, noting the project could result in 100 or more apartment units being built. "This site will set the tone for future redevelopments." A statement from the Region of Durham says a master plan will be created to "maximize the use of the existing building and accompanying lands" and will include community consultation on uses for the site. "This site has a lot of potential and the region wants to ensure this opportunity is leveraged," the statement notes. "The project plan is being developed internally now. Once that plan is ready, more information will be shared publicly." Ritson P.S. was built in 1923 at a time when Oshawa was seeing significant growth as General Motors attracted new families to the city. The school is named for John Ritson, Oshawa's first school teacher. There were several additions added to Ritson P.S. over the years and in 1948 it became one of the first schools in Oshawa to add a kindergarten class at a time when kindergarten was not widely accepted. The property has been designated as one of heritage value or interest under the Ontario Heritage Act. Nicholson says there is "strong community support" for the plan to build affordable housing at the site. A community poll he conducted on Facebook saw the majority of participants indicate they would like to see a development with a mix of housing options to suit families, seniors and those with disabilities. VACANT SCHOOL SET TO BECOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING JILLIAN FOLLERT jfoller t@durhamregion.com NEWS REGION OF DURHAM BUYS RITSON P.S. SITE FOR $7.49M The former Ritson P.S. site in Oshawa will become affordable housing. Jillian Follert/Metroland