1082 & 1094 Wilson Avenue

[Acitta]

Neighbourhood Meeting - Proposed Development (1082 & 1094 Wilson Avenue)

The City of Kitchener has received and application for an Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to facilitate the expansion of an existing manufacturing facility and associated parking. The application proposed to change the designation on a portion of the properties from Low Rise Residential to Business Park Employment and to change the Zoning Category from ‘RES-1’ to ‘EMP-2’.

This is for the expansion of the Colt Canada plant at 1036 Wilson Avenue. Colt Canada makes weapons 

Supporting documents

   

[ac3r]

Cool. They provide some good, specialized jobs so it's nice to see them expanding.

I hear the weapons they make are pretty good. No idea if they are commercially available but I'd love to go shoot them, but I suspect they only manufacture for the CAF.

[bravado]

Cool. They provide some good, specialized jobs so it's nice to see them expanding.

I hear the weapons they make are pretty good. No idea if they are commercially available but I'd love to go shoot them, but I suspect they only manufacture for the CAF.

I had a very interesting job interview there, it's a weird place. Primary customers are the CF, but other NATO countries seem to use their products for small things like special forces. It's still a bit odd that the entire country's only military firearms maker is in Kitchener, and it's all pretty much built by hand..

[ac3r]

A long, long time ago I applied there when I needed a job. They didn't hire me, but it would have been kinda cool to handle weapons all day.

[Joedelay Highhoe]

Former colleague of mine works there as some kinda weapons engineer. I think it's a good gig if you can get it!

[cherrypark]

Parking is kind of lame but I guess is sized to reduce loss of mature trees. Still wish garages were cheaper to reduce that asphalt footprint...

[panamaniac]

I assume that the "neighbourhood" meeting will be pro forma? Not sure who the NIMBY might be...

[Acitta]

I assume that the "neighbourhood" meeting will be pro forma?  Not sure who the NIMBY might be...

Anybody who visits the park might be upset with an industrial property butting up to the lookout area. If you follow the trail that crosses Wabanaki Dr., as I have done countless times, it comes out on Wilson opposite 1094. You see a wooded property that looks like it is part of the park. I wouldn't want to see an industrial building there instead.

[ac3r]

I assume that the "neighbourhood" meeting will be pro forma?  Not sure who the NIMBY might be...

Anti-gun wackos would be one. Environmentalists for being close to the park. Anti-car people because it would have added parking. You'll always have someone opposing a project. You could probably have a NIMBY design and submit their own yet still manage to complain about it at the public meeting for it.

I see it non-stop in architecture and a lot of the letters you get to read or meetings you attend can be really unhinged or are really stupid, with people willing to oppose projects that provide a net benefit to its community over some trivial thing they see as an issue, or just because they don't want it there at all. They'd prefer to shoot themselves in the foot in spite, rather than support something that has more positives than negatives.

[Acitta]

I assume that the "neighbourhood" meeting will be pro forma?  Not sure who the NIMBY might be...

Anti-gun wackos would be one. Environmentalists for being close to the park. Anti-car people because it would have added parking. You'll always have someone opposing a project. You could probably have a NIMBY design and submit their own yet still manage to complain about it at the public meeting for it.

I see it non-stop in architecture and a lot of the letters you get to read or meetings you attend can be really unhinged or are really stupid, with people willing to oppose projects that provide a net benefit to its community over some trivial thing they see as an issue, or just because they don't want it there at all. They'd prefer to shoot themselves in the foot in spite, rather than support something that has more positives than negatives.

Why is being anti-gun wacko? Spokes edited the title post of this thread because of the "politics". Maybe he will edit out the politics of your post.

[ac3r]

Well, there are indeed a lot of people who are anti-gun with wacky ideas. Every person in Canada benefits directly or in-directly from guns, but may or may not understand how, why and why that is a good thing although I'd be willing to believe most do. I was just providing one example of what sort of NIMBY may potentially oppose the expansion of a factory that manufactures weapons, in addition to the usual sort of NIMBY complaints.

In regards to politics, I'm unsure what you're referring to. I haven't seen anything to do with politics in the replies and I must have missed whatever politically charged wording you used in your thread title that caused them to edit your post, so I don't know what you mean.

[Acitta]

Well, there are indeed a lot of people who are anti-gun with wacky ideas. Every person in Canada benefits directly or in-directly from guns, but may or may not understand how, why and why that is a good thing although I'd be willing to believe most do. I was just providing one example of what sort of NIMBY may potentially oppose the expansion of a factory that manufactures weapons, in addition to the usual sort of NIMBY complaints.

In regards to politics, I'm unsure what you're referring to. I haven't seen anything to do with politics in the replies and I must have missed whatever politically charged wording you used in your thread title that caused them to edit your post, so I don't know what you mean.

I will not repeat what was removed from my post, but I was referring to your post as political when you referred to those who are against guns as wacky. However, this thread is about a particular building application and its effect on the surrounding properties, not about the pros and cons of gun manufacturing.

[tomh009]

I will note that most "anti-gun" people are opposed to private ownership of guns, especially powerful ones. The business of Colt Canada (nee Diemaco) is providing guns to the armed forces, which is very much a different thing, and would surely see less opposition.

[Acitta]

I will note that most "anti-gun" people are opposed to private ownership of guns, especially powerful ones. The business of Colt Canada (nee Diemaco) is providing guns to the armed forces, which is very much a different thing, and would surely see less opposition.

The neighbourhood meeting is not really about the manufacture of guns, per se. It is about expanding of a manufacturing plant onto two wooded residential properties next to parkland and the Grand River.

[ijmorlan]

I will note that most "anti-gun" people are opposed to private ownership of guns, especially powerful ones. The business of Colt Canada (nee Diemaco) is providing guns to the armed forces, which is very much a different thing, and would surely see less opposition.

As long as it’s not “to the armed forces, … and to Saudi Arabia to beat up on protesters”.