Plans to establish a city operations campus are moving forward, with an estimated cost as high as $228 million over a 10 to 15 year period.
City council gave it’s unanimous stamp of approval to the idea and location on Monday evening, despite resident requests to preserve that parcel of land – city-owned property on the northwest corner the intersection of Stone Road East and Watson Parkway South – with near-unanimous direction for staff to begin site preparations as well as planning and design work.
“Support for a centralized campus is the best possible outcome for the community and staff,” said Antti Vilkko, the city’s general manager of facilities and energy management, in a news release. “As Guelph grows to 203,000 people by 2051, planning for expanded service delivery and maximizing efficiency is a key benefit of centralizing the city’s operations.”
An operations campus is expected to provide efficiencies regarding energy use and environmental impacts; new facilities could be designed to meet current and future needs, as well as maximize efficiencies between each site; locating the solid waste fleet close to both the innovation centre and maintenance/fuelling facilities would enhance operational logistics; and the electrical supply at the site can be upgraded to accommodate electrifying transit and general fleet vehicles.
Several council members expressed concern about whether there will be additional opportunities for public input as the plan develops, prompting an amendment from Coun. Leanne Caron that will see an overall site plan presented to council in addition to individual building site plans.
“I think this is very, very different from a subdivision application,” she said.
Those details, explained acting-deputy CAO Stephen O’Brien, will be presented in quarterly update reports, as well as through site plan processes. Council holds the reins through annual budget approvals, he added.
Of the three delegates who addressed council, two asked for the site to be preserved for the enjoyment of residents.
“The chosen location poses some deeply concerning environmental considerations given its close proximity to the river and sensitive wetland areas,” Brooke Fry said, adding there are hundreds of species of plants, birds and other wildlife that call that property home. “I will candidly share with you the overwhelming level of grief and loss that comes with losing a place I feel deeply connected to and bonded with.”
“I really don’t want to see it paved over to become a parking lot,” added Carolyn Ross.
John Fisher, president of the Guelph Hiking and Trail Club, voiced support for the project and the chosen location, asking council to be on the alert for unintended consequences, as well as maintain trails and open spaces.
“The plan is about actions, not just words,” he said, encouraging the city to set a good example for other developers within the Guelph Innovation District (GID), where the chosen location lies. “It is the city who ensures that the developers plan and implementation reflect the GID vision. In the operations campus project, the city is both the developer and the regulator.”
Existing trails are expected to remain, with new ones included, explained deputy CAO Colleen Clack-Bush, noting they’re included in the draft trails master plan which will be presented to council next month. That master plan will be considered as this project takes shape.
A number of studies are planned or already underway, added O’Brien, including water monitoring, species at risk, cultural heritage and more.
Council’s decision, broken into four clauses with individual votes, received almost unanimous backing, with councillor Bob Bell objecting to the launch of site preparations as well as planning and design work.
“I think the site is being overdeveloped,” Bell explained of his concern. “There’s a little bit too much trying to be jammed into that space.”
Bell voted in favour of the location and additional public reporting through council.
