Region aims to bring affordable housing to former Cambridge school site

CAMBRIDGE — The Region of Waterloo is taking steps to build affordable housing at the former site of Alison Park Public School in southeast Galt.

Regional council will consider declaring two properties, the school site at 30 Lauris Ave., as well as another at 1388 Highland Rd. W. in Kitchener, as surplus at its next meeting on Aug. 10, says regional Coun. Karl Kiefer.

While affordable housing isn’t a foregone conclusion for the former school site, that’s the direction the region is going, Kiefer said.

The region has approved an ambitious affordable housing plan that aims to create hundreds of new affordable units in the next few years.

The housing strategy includes using surplus regional land, either to directly build housing on, if the site is suitable, or by selling the land or exchanging with a developer if the site isn’t appropriate for housing.

“God only knows we need affordable housing,” Kiefer said.

There is a long process that must be followed before any construction can start, said Kiefer, who is on the regional board that deals with affordable housing.

The region bought 2.7 acres from the Waterloo Catholic District School Board in 2018. The Catholic board bought the Alison Park site after the public school burned down in 2008, and added the property to its acreage at the adjacent St. Anne school.

Ward 7 Coun. Scott Hamilton says he welcomes homes that are more attainable for “the missing middle” with high housing and rental prices in the city.

The issue, he said, is the stigma that follows affordable housing and the belief it will degrade a neighbourhood, bring in “sketchy people” and have a negative effect. Affordable housing actually has the opposite effect, he said.

“It will reduce a lot of those negative aspects that some people on social media mention frequently, like homelessness, crime and drug use. That doesn’t come with affordable housing, that comes from a lack of housing; that comes from desperation.

When you give people affordable housing you reduce desperation,” he said.

The housing could be similar to the modular affordable housing being built at Bechtel Street in Hespeler, Hamilton said.

“How do we get the highest number of people in the highest quality units in a way and a spirit that’s exciting?” Hamilton said, noting it was important to build something “neighbours can get behind.”

Regional Coun. Helen Jowett sees the housing as a “better, smarter, faster” way to increase housing inventory for post-COVID recovery, especially for low-income families.

Social media posts have raised concerns about traffic, since Elgin Street North is basically the only two-way route out of the neighbourhood.

Hamilton said the city will look at access points but feels there will be less traffic since most amenities, such as St. Anne school and Vardon and Soper parks, are within walking distance, and a proposed LRT terminal would be about 10 minutes away on foot.

“With houses come cars, but I think where this can be located there will be the need for fewer cars than an average development.”

Anyone who wants to make a submission about the proposed surplus declaration of the lands can phone 519-575-4400 or email regionalclerk @regionofwaterloo.ca.

A staff report pertaining to the proposal will be available on the region’s website on Aug. 3.