Former east-end school site slated for redevelopment (9 council briefs)

In Sault Ste. Marie's latest school conversion project, developer Dan Fremlin is planning to turn the former St. Hubert Elementary School into a 19-unit apartment building.

Fremlin's rezoning application for the site at 207 Dacey Rd. gained City Council approval Monday.

Just east of the existing school building, he's planning to also build four semi-detached houses (consisting of eight semi-detached housing units) that he expects to sever onto eight separate lots fronting onto Dacey Road.

There are no immediate plans for the remainder of the 188- by 220-metre property.

Fremlin's plans for the redevelopment project include 39 parking spaces.

The units will be initially targeted at downsizing seniors but may also interest young people entering the housing market.

"Across the city, similar projects have improved neighbourhoods by re-activating large vacant properties into fully functioning ones that provide the community additional living options," says city planner Jonathan Kircal.

"Exterior building alterations, such as adding a peaked roof or altering façade materials and planting attractive landscaping have fully integrated such developments into their communities," Kircal said in a report to Mayor Provenzano and city councillors.

Earlier this year, Fremlin won city support for another subdivision consisting of 37 single-detached homes, 32 semi-detached units and a neighbourhood park, all wrapped around the new St. Mary's College.

Other news from Monday night's City Council meeting:

• EACOM Timber Corp. got a go-head for a temporary gravel employee parking lot near its engineered wood mill at Third Line and Peoples Road. The three-year approval is expected to alleviate pedestrian and heavy truck traffic problems there, but some neighbours are hot as a cat skinner over noise and dust issues. A new mill manager is promising to address their concerns
• Malcolm White, the city's chief administrative officer, briefed council on plans for implementing Ontario COVID-19 vaccine passport policy. Councillors peppered him with questions about how the city will implement its plan, but White said many of the fine details won't be known until the province introduces formal regulations. White reminded councillors that he wasn't seeking their approval for the city's plan, because it's an administrative matter to be decided by municipal staff, not politicians
• the city will apply for provincial funding for a new $275,000 interactive water play feature at the John Rhodes Community Centre swimming pool. Maverick and Son Exteriors was awarded a $19,640 contract to stop aluminum panels from blowing off the Rhodes Centre's east wall
• Ward 5 Coun. Corey Gardi and Ward 2's Lisa Vezeau-Allen will introduce a resolution at City Council's next meeting on Sept. 27, authorizing Mayor Provenzano to ask the province to resolve its legal battle over Robinson-Huron treaty annuities
• local nerds will get a $7,500 city tourism grant to host NerdCon 2021
• Airport Management Council of Ontario Conference will get $5,000
• city staff will work with local police to find ways to slow down local speeders
• councillors agreed six to five to pay $230,721 to PUC Services and Bell to move their infrastructure underground near the planned downtown plaza. CAO Malcolm White told them the work will be necessary whether or not the plaza goes ahead. Some councillors wanted to defer the decision until the next City Council meeting