Suggestions:

1. Place a redevelopment moratorium on all schools until this issue can be formally addressed.
2. Create a special (holding) designation for school properties.
3. Retain them for such mixed uses as greenspace, neighbourhood resource and community centres. City might facilitate partnerships or collaborations with non-profits, along with neighbourhood associations^¶ in maximizing resources while providing a versatility of services needed within the neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood daycare centres would be one such use that fit with recent, multi-level policy objectives and funding.
4. As recommended to Council in April 28, 2005 by David Siegel; we need to manage our relationship with other governments in a proactive fashion. The city should create a dedicated liaison official/lobbyist to present the City's interests to various levels of government and sectors. The issue of protecting and utilizing surplus schools for neighbourhood use would be an initial top priority to be dealt with. There is a number of other pressing municipal issues for which this position could prove invaluable.
5. Amend the current Official Plan to address this issue and/or reserve this issue for the Official Plan review.
6. Legal verification - If schools and their surrounding properties have already been paid for by citizens' taxes, should the land and schools be the official property of the school board, or the City? Has the question of ownership ever been asked of the courts of Ontario?

With regard to the second issue:

As observed by my 'Friends of Downtown St. Catharines' associates, Darrell Spilchuk and Victoria Roslin, there has been a conversion of a number of residential homes to full commercial use. Contrary to the Official Plan for the downtown the need for residential densification^{¶ §} in the downtown area in particular, has already begun to foster the conversion of a number of commercial/retail spaces to full residential to the detriment of the downtown core. This situation needs to be brought under control before it gets out of hand.

With respects to encouraging mixed-use of buildings and/or existing homes, and work-home trends, it is strongly advised that stringent guidelines and taxation models be established so that planned growth throughout the city encouraged and controlled accordingly.

If, as in the example of downtown St. Catharines, it is desirable to encourage existing homes is to be adapted for mixed use, where appropriate, an incentive program might be considered to include special tax rates. A single, reduced rate would be applied to a building only for where the same business/store owner/operator lives onsite. Much higher rates for both the residential and commercial/retail components would take hold upon a disconnection between them.

These issues and related suggestions are being given with a strong desire in seeing the City become a recognized leader in adopting or developing urban densification^{¶ §} and smart growth strategies.^{¶ § Δ}

Respectfully

Bernie Slepkov
1-213 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines, L2R 3M6

Reader's Note!

At Council Aug 29, 2005, Councillor Charles Gervais, requested a report from staff regarding my comments and suggestions.