Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District

[dunkalunk]

Like dunkalunk said, seems to completely ignore ION phase 2. So doog luck with that.

Any intensification / parking lot removal in this area is good, though I do question why the street facing facilities are directly next to the highway off rams. Especially when you're leaving that big gap with no street facing buildings for a parking lot. No one ever walks here, and there's not even a sidewalk IIRC.

I think many people here should start putting money up themselves and developing instead of just being critical. It is easy when you don't have any skin in the game.

Provided the City of Kitchener approves the variance and site plan, CF can do whatever they want with their property if they think it will make them money. The proposed Stage 2 routing will be a large part of the city's consideration. I remember when stage one property acquisitions were happening, CF was hostile to the presence of any Light Rail on their property, which is why the Fairway (not Fairview Park) station is located in the hydro ROW where it is, and why the region bought out Burger King and Crabby Joe's in order to create a more streamlined transfer off Fairway Road. I don't trust CF to not be hostile to Stage 2 when it comes time to actually build LRT through parking space on Hydro's easement.

One of the great things about a democracy is that I am allowed to have an opinion and elect representatives who share my values, or become involved in the planning process. Being critical of how our urban spaces are built will ultimately shape the policy which is adopted and affect the built space we end up with. Personally, I would rather not have another vehicle-dependent, suburban office development with excessive parking. IMHO, what is being proposed is just as much a "Grand Market District" as "The Boardwalk" is a boardwalk.

I would appreciate not being told to stop being critical because I'm not a real-estate developer. Calling criticism "just being critical" is an easy way to dismiss any opinions you disagree with and entrench your own views without actually defending your position. Whenever you're ready to defend your position as to why you think this development should go ahead in its current form, I'm ready to have a discussion.