By Jim Young, Chair of Partnering Aldershot
Opinion.
On Tuesday, May 14, Partnering Aldershot (PA) members heard an update on the proposal to develop the property at 1200 King, between King and Waterdown roads, Hwy 403, and the CN Rail tracks, a project that has captured the attention of the Aldershot community as nothing has since the opening of Mapleview Mall in 1990. It heralds a truly once-in-a-generation opportunity for Aldershot.
Presented by Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) and Alinea Group Developments, PA received a foretaste of the site’s potential from Meghan Wong of the Spanier Group, who specializes in “community engagement in placemaking,” fleshing out the original “high-level concept” with detail that added to the excitement the project is generating in the west end.
The site at 1200 King Rd. is a 50-hectare property that is currently scrub and waste industrial land. Proposes for the site are a multi-purpose sports, events, and community facility; retail space; commercial space; a campus; and a park precinct, with a mix of residential housing in a walkable, complete community serviced by GO and Burlington Transit as it evolves.
In Aldershot, an area of Burlington that has historically felt underserved by city facilities and investment, the project is breathing optimism in where for the past few years, we have heard only how many residential units and how high developments will be, with little in the way of community infrastructure in return. The sheer scope of this project makes it exciting, not only for Aldershot but for the entire city and beyond. Presenters suggested that upcoming changes to Hamilton’s First Ontario Centre, as a home for sporting events and as a premium arena for music, give 1200 King the potential to become an international destination venue, shifting the entertainment centre of Burlington westward, drawing major events and crowds from Toronto to Niagara, Kitchener, Cambridge and beyond.
Given recent local outcries over the lack of a west-end grocery, some PA folks hoped the designated retail might have been closer to Waterdown Rd. than King, where sufficient good grocery coverage already exists. While the presenters argued the case for the east side location, that only works for the community if the promises of additional retail at the planned Cooke Boulevard Precinct come to fruition or if the King Paving Asphalt Plant lands provide a future grocery opportunity. Time will tell, but a retail designation with grocery store potential to the west would have people marching in the streets for its adoption. The grocery is an issue that has gripped local emotions beyond any rational consideration of its feasibility and remains politically fraught.
While this is still a very high-level idea and nowhere near planning pre-application status, perhaps an Aldershot residents’ town-hall style meeting might introduce the concept to the wider community and demonstrate resident passion about how west-end development needs to better serve the community. Aldershot has heard previous developers’ engagement promises that never materialized. PA, however, is cautiously optimistic that the promises of engagement will be fulfilled this time. So with thanks to BEDC, Alinea, and Spanier for an informative presentation, we look forward to a continuing engagement as 1200 King Road moves forward.
