Few fans of Glen Abbey development plan
ClubLink aiming to add more than 3,000 residential units to site of famed golf course
— Density, traffic and the destruction of what some see as a Canadian jewel were among the concerns voiced after residents got a better look at ClubLink’s development plans for the Glen Abbey golf course property.
Property owner ClubLink presented its application data to the community this week during two public information meetings at Oakville Town Hall, which collectively drew more than 100 people.
The Ontario Municipal Board deemed ClubLink’s application to develop the Glen Abbey lands complete on June 22, however, Town staff and others are quick to point out the project is far from being a done deal.
The data presented Wednesday showed the property owner is intent on building 3,222 residential units (141 single detached dwellings, 58 townhouse units, 2,434 apartment and townhouse units, 589 mixed use apartment and townhouse units) on the 92.7 hectare property.
The plan calls for 28 four-to-eight storey mid-rise apartment buildings and nine, nine-to-12 storey apartment buildings.
Another 69,000 square feet is being set aside for commercial/retail uses while 107,000 square feet (including an existing estate) would be used as office space.
ClubLink officials point out 50.11 hectares (54 per cent of the total site) would be made up of publicly-accessible green space.
This includes 34.60 hectares preserved as part of the Natural Heritage System (NHS), remnant wood area or buffer (including the 31.39 hectares Sixteen Mile Creek Valley); 10.62 hectares of parks and open space; 4.32 hectares of storm management ponds; and a .57 hectare Enbridge easement.
The plan was not well-received by many residents who attended the meeting.
“We don’t need this in Oakville,” said Steve Cullen, who lives off Neyagawa Boulevard.
“Glen Abbey is an Oakville institution. What else do we have to attract people to this community?”
He also charged the plan is poorly designed, noting it proposes to pack thousands of people into a property that has only three exits, one on Upper Middle Road (signalized) and two on Dorval Drive (one signalized, one not).
“You’re going to put thousands of people in this place. Most of them are going to work so what happens when they all try to leave at rush hour? Traffic on Dorval Drive is already horrendous.”
Woodfield Road resident Julianne Guselle said the proposed development would negatively impact surrounding residents who paid a premium for homes surrounding the golf course. She said she is not opposed to some development, but argued what is being proposed is simply too much.
Robert Visentin, ClubLink senior vice president, said that while the main feedback he is hearing so far from residents is that they don’t want any development at the site whatsoever, he is confident that attitude will change as the process moves forward.
“They just don’t want it. It’s not really a dialogue. It’s just ‘No.”