Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Annette Phillips
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The Kingston Whig-Standard
The "historical right" of Morrison's Restaurant to haul grease, garbage and supplies through a back laneway should override the proposed dvelopment of a key piece of Clarence Street, the property owner says.
Plans for a new network of pedestrian walkways and courtyards behind King, Brock and Wellington Streets are about to be tabled by Kincore Holdings, the downtown development firm known for its restoration of the historic carriageway called Brock Street Common.
William Poulos, a lawyer who speaks for John and Cathy Poulos, the owners of the Morrison's building, said his clients have a right to continue the "historical use" of their property, which has been used for food deliveries, but also as a grease and garbage storage yard since they bought the building in the 1960s. "This is a 2003 proposal ... asking for stopping of a use, or at least altering a use, that has been in place for decades," Poulos said of the Kincore proposal. "This is a heritage property with a history that should be respected."
Poulos said maintaining the laneway in its present form is in the public interest, but dismissed as "subjective" the suggestion that the public would be more likely to use a clean, rebuilt walkway than the dirty, rodent-infested lane that exists behind the buildings today. "There is a difference of opinion of various property owners over what the public laneway should be used for," Poulos said.
Kincore president Kim Donovan will soon file with City Hall a formal proposal that asks the city to sell his company the narrow, municipally-owned lane behind the buildings. Donovan owns five of the 17 existing buildings on the block, as well as an empty lot that encompasses most of Clarence Street and is zoned for condominiums.
Kincore recently announced plans for the restoration of the Ontario Bank building at the corner of King and Clarence. That project calls for reconstruction of the outside with New Orleans-style balconies along the upper floors that overlook Clarence Street. The company is nearing completion of the historic British Whig building next to the former Ontario Bank. The empty lot behind could be used to expand the two King Street buildings, but Donovan's preference is to build a mixed residential and commercial development.
Kincore's redevelopment proposal calls for winding stone pathways connecting what is now a narrow municipal lane that skirts the rear of buildings on King, Clarence, Brock and Wellington. Donovan has been meeting with neighbours for several months in an attempt to deal with their concerns.
Closing the laneway to cars would inconvenience other property owners on the block who now park on private property behind their businesses or in the municipal lane, Donovan said. Kincore has offered to provide parking, for a fee, in a new underground lot that would be part of any new building that goes on the Clarence Street lot. "This will impact other property owners ... However, we have offered to work closely with our neighbours to address issues such as parking, garbage and storage," Donovan said.
In return for ownership of the land, Kincore is prepared to build and maintain pedestrian walkways and courtyards much like those on Brock Street. The company has also offered to install removable posts at the entrance to the lane that could be taken out if vehicular deliveries were essential. But the idea is to get rid of cars and trucks in the lane. "We don't believe vehicular and pedestrian traffic should be intermingled," Donovan said.
Kincore has offered to investigate a shared garbage facility for all the businesses on the block, Donovan said. At present, garbage from a number of businesses, including Morrison's, is stored in makeshift sheds on the so-called public lane, or on Kincore property. Morrison's also stores used grease in a backyard container.
Kincore has been widely praised for its restoration of an old carriageway on the north side of Brock Street - a project that required a more difficult garbage solution than Clarence Street, Donovan said. The company faced a similar garbage problem when it tried to link its Brock Street courtyard to Rochleau Court and the Chez Piggy courtyard. Chez Piggy's old wooden garbage boxes were rebuilt, rounded, covered with limestone and decorated with wrought iron and planter boxes. Even the odours can't escape the limestone vaults, Donovan said.
Richard Langlais is a 30-year employee at Marc Raymond Optician, which is next to one of the proposed walkways. He said staff and management are excited about Kincore's project. "We're very supportive of it," Langlais said, adding that he likes the "small village" feel of Kincore's Brock Street carriageway and looks forward to more of the same in the downtown. The proposed development would create more business for Morrison's and other businesses in the area, he said, adding that garbage shouldn't be allowed to hold up the project. "You can do it if you want to," he said.
Ian Milne, who has worked for years to get the area around City Hall designated First Capital Place and to create a link between Canada's two capital cities, Kingston and Ottawa, said business owners in the area should bear in mind that an international marketing drive is being launched that will significantly increase tourism in Kingston. Once citizens develop a pride in their community, they're unlikely to continue patronizing businesses that detract from the downtown's ability to draw tourists, Milne added. "It seems a pity this particular business can't make the special effort."
Kincore would like to experiment with some unique architecture on its empty lot, but the entire project hinges on the city's willingness to make a deal on the lane, Donovan said.
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