Books on Beechwood
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February 2013 www.newedinburgh.ca Artist’s rendering of proposed Minto development. Courtesy of Minto Books on Beechwood: The Community Response to Minto An 11th Hour Reprieve Design Plans for Beechwood Fire Site By Jane Heintzman on Beechwood Avenue only ties, Minto has made a serious After nearly two years of and multiple entrances along effort to open lines of commu- and a New Lease on Life paralysis at the site of the fire Beechwood; nication, and to engage in con- By Jane Heintzman local high tech firm specializ- on Beechwood, as unresolved • A public patio space at the sultations with community rep- Shortly before Christmas, ing in the manufacture of opti- insurance claims and leasing MacKay/Beechwood cor- resentatives. Preliminary dis- as faithful clients flocked to cal thin film filters and coatings controversies hobbled any ner; cussions were held with a spe- Books on Beechwood to stock for application in a variety of prospect of an early redevel- • 157 condominium units cial sub-Committee of NECA up on reading material and say industrial and research sectors, opment, the logjam has at last above ground level, with a shortly before Christmas, and a wistful farewell to owner ranging from telecommunica- been broken. The Minto Group main entrance off MacKay on Wednesday, January 16, Jean Barton and her staff as the tions and spectroscopy to the is poised to proceed with a Street; a public meeting organized by dreaded closure date loomed entertainment industry (includ- major mixed residential/com- • 26 surface public parking NECA took place at Memorial ever closer. At the 11th hour ing glasses for 3D cinema). mercial project at the heart of spaces and 162 underground Hall, where a capacity crowd of the community learned in a In addition to his interna- our commercial area. While at spaces for condominium close to 180 was given a closer surprise announcement that tionally recognized expertise press time, the sale to Minto residents, with access to look at project plans, and had a group of purchasers had in optical thin films, Iridian had not officially closed, the both via a two-way porte- an opportunity to address their emerged to buy the business founder Brian Sullivan is a change of ownership is expect- cochère off MacKay Street; comments to Minto representa- and keep the store operating resident of the neighbourhood ed imminently and the com- • 88 bicycle parking spaces; tives. in its existing location—inven- and a committed book lover. pany has been forging ahead • Modifications to existing By any standard, the meeting tory, staff and all. The collec- For many years he and his now with work on design plans for tive sigh of relief and delight in 12-year-old son Nicholas (an the site. the neighbourhood must have erstwhile participant in Books Project Overview: Public comments on the Minto been audible for miles around, on Beechwood’s popular Story Here’s a quick snapshot of the development are due by Feb. 4 and for many of us, it seemed Time sessions in his younger broad lines of Minto’s proposal that the “Christmas miracle” of days) have been regular cli- to date: Zoning provisions, includ- was a model of a civil and con- legend had actually material- ents at Books on Beechwood; • Mixed-use commercial/resi- ing 7 metres above the exist- structive community consulta- ized in our own bailiwick on as a part of their Saturday dential building, with 8 sto- ing height limit to accom- tion, and an immense amount Beechwood. morning routine. Faced with reys and a partial 9th storey modate a 9th storey; smaller of credit is owing to NECA After several weeks of tan- the distressing prospect of its (to a maximum 27.3 metres setbacks from the property organizers Sarah Anson- talizing speculation about the imminent closure, Brian swift- in height); line; and slightly fewer park- Cartwright, Michael Histed, identity of the consortium of ly moved beyond the helpless • Upper storeys set back from ing spaces than would nor- Catherine Lindquist, Tim white knights who had stepped hand-wringing state in which the sidewalk at the 5th level mally be required (a Zoning Plumptre, Paula Thompson in to save this treasured local the rest of us were mired, and along the Beechwood front, By-Law Amendment and Acting NECA President institution, it was announced initiated the purchase proposal, and at the 3rd to 5th level Application was filed by David Sacks for their excep- on January 9 that the new ultimately enlisting the partici- on MacKay Street to create Minto in December). tional advance work and skilful owners are Brian Sullivan, pation of his colleagues. a transition to existing low Community Consultations: facilitation of the proceedings. Peter Dawson and George In early December, the rise residential townhouses; In response to the intense inter- If you weren’t able to attend Laframboise. All three are group began hush-hush dis- • 1,622 square metres of est in the project on the part of the meeting (as many were not members of the senior manage- cussions with building own- ground floor commercial residents in New Edinburgh because of the limited capac- ment team at Iridian Spectral use (retail) space, with stores and the surrounding communi- Technologies, a successful Continued on page 6 Continued on page 18 Photo: Louise Imbeault This mural was erected on Beechwood at the fire site in December by Beechwood Village Alliance volunteers. See article on page 17. Page 2 NEW EDINBURGH NEWS February 2013 Report from NECA Acting President David Sacks Dear Editor – eral cold comfort days under- I was highly amused to read ground in Carp and, like Larry, NECA Acting President and knowing that local resi- concerns, and (d) “green” or the piece by Larry MacDonald, thought the whole idea was David Sacks Reports dents too often are kept in the sustainability facets. While “My Small Role in the Cuban ludicrous. It is correct that December and January have dark until a developer’s build- residents expressed gratitude Missile Crisis.” He is accurate they fortified themselves with been busy months at NECA. ing plans are set, we decided that the site is being rede- in his description of my father, proper rations for the ordeal, Some readers will have that NECA’s duty lay in try- veloped, comments naturally Charles Jennings, and the but I find it hard to believe attended the NECA-sponsored ing to bring Minto represen- gravitated to items of concern: orders that he and Larry and that Charles would not have January 16 public meeting in tatives to a public meeting. Overall, there was criticism of other CBC staffers received shared whatever “hot coffee” Memorial Hall of the MacKay The meeting’s purpose would Minto’s planned building in to spend a weekend in the they had in their thermoses as United Church, where 180 area be (a) to inform the public regard to its height and mass Diefenbunker as part of a civil he was very fond and proud of residents crowded in to hear of Minto’s building plans and on the Beechwood side, its defense exercise, which was both CBC reporters Norman about and to discuss Minto (b) to try to influence aspects non-brick cladding material, supposed to protect the top Depoe and Larry MacDonald. Group’s plans to redevelop the of those plans, through public its allowance for perhaps only leadership of the country in Many thanks for this histori- Beechwood Avenue fire site. comment. But time was of the four retail spaces (and only on case of nuclear war. Dad was cal report from a well-loved (See Jane Heintzman’s in- essence, we knew. Beechwood), and its reliance horrified at having to leave New Edinburgh resident. I depth meeting coverage, page A NECA committee was on a single entrance-exit for his adored wife, family and have equally fond memories 1.) The two-hour event went formed, of board members cars, on MacKay, with obvious dogs, not to say his comfort- of Mildred MacDonald with beautifully: It typified effi- Sarah Anson-Cartwright, possible bottlenecking. able abode in the countryside whom I had the pleasure of cient planning—and it typifies Michael Histed, Catherine For now, the discussion-table near Aylmer on the Quebec working, also at the CBC. NECA’s commitment to keep- Lindquist, Tim Plumptre, comments have been distilled side of the river, to spend sev- Sarah Jennings ing this community informed Paula Thompson, and myself. into a 2,200-word report, and involved. Our strong hope This group devoted simply written by Tim Plumptre, Our special thanks to six area his well chosen introductory is that Minto’s executives, hundreds of hours, from early to be delivered to Minto in residents who volunteered to be remarks. before finalizing their building December to mid January, to late January. Minto’s Vice discussion-table “facilitators,” In other news: Thank you and plans, will have the time and pull together the January 16 President for Development, guiding the tables’ talk and farewell to Michael Larrass, inclination to consider some event. Brent Strachan, has gracious- then summarizing in brief pub- who has recently, reluctantly of the public’s comments from For the evening’s first half, ly agreed to meet with NECA lic addresses at the meeting’s stepped down from the NECA January 16. a packed house watched sev- about the report. Again, it is end: Here, a simply excellent board due to persistent sched- At this time, Minto report- eral presentations, including our hope that these proceed- job was done by Sarah Anson- uling conflicts from his busi- edly is completing its purchase an essential one on the pro- ings might bring the commu- Cartwright, Gemma Kerr, ness.