Plans to build an elementary school in Rolling Meadows are falling apart because the developers in the area can’t seem to agree on who will build the road to it.
As ThoroldToday reported, the DSBN has been in talks with the developer behind Rolling Meadows, to build a school on Upper’s Lane.
But before the land is sold to the DSBN, the school board is requiring that Upper’s Lane be extended.
On October 1, council voted to let Rolling Meadows build the road, but when neighbouring developers Parkbridge and Rudanco found out, they put a stop to the project.
During last night’s city council meeting, lawyer Jonathan Cheng, on behalf of Rudanco and Parkbridge, gave a short presentation outlining their issue with the project.
“What we found troubling is that when we reviewed the engineering design drawings proposed for the road extension, they were not lined up with the latest plans and drawings,” said Cheng. “They did not include the proper servicing to accommodate Parkbridge’s and Rudanco’s developments.”
Rolling Meadows and Parkbridge are adjoining landowners where the road would be build, while Rudanco is developing further down the road.
Tom Richardson, legal counsel for the city, said that his office has been working overtime trying to draft up a memorandum of understanding between the different parties.
“We’ve had responses now from some but not all of the interested parties,” he said. “Rolling Meadows wrote to us and asked whether there were other options available other than the city building [the road].”
According to the initial timeline proposed by Rolling Meadows and the DSBN, the road would need to be build this fall so construction on the school could start in the spring.
While the city could also take responsibility for building the road, that might take a little while longer, and the plans for the school could be delayed as a result.
“I don’t want to build a road to nowhere if it doesn’t meet the school’s timeline,” said Councillor Henry D’Angela.
During last night’s city council meeting, Councillor Jim Handley said he had talked to Glen Gordon, the developer behind Rolling Meadows, who claims the project is on ice.
“He told me that when council took away his permission to build the road this fall, his deal became frustrated,” said Councillor Handley. “He told me that’s a legal term to describe a deal that can’t move forward. He can no longer build a road within a timeline within the agreement with the school board so the agreement can’t happen now. Without a deal with the school board he has no need for Upper’s Lane to be build right away. As of today, it’s a dead deal.”
But Richardson is still hopeful the project will come to fruition.
“We’re attempting to make contact with the school board directly,” he said. “We’ll then know whether the school board wishes to proceed and there can then be a new agreement if they wish to make a new deal with Mr. Gordon or they may wish to make a deal with another property owner along the road. When they say the deal is at an end, that was a deal that was rushed into here a month ago in which there was a timeline.”
The city has only had limited contact with the DSBN so there’s the worry that they’re not committed to the project.
“I’m starting to believe there’s no school deal,” said Councillor Mike De Divitiis. “It’s all talk. I’ve been in business 37 years. It’s all ‘if’ until you see it on paper. You have to do your due diligence.”
Director of Public Works, Geoff Holman, said that it isn’t time to panic just yet.
“The fact that there isn’t a deal in hand shouldn’t give us any cause or concern to negotiate going down this path,” he said. “Ultimately, the area needs a school. The school board is interested in locating there and the road needs to be build.”
In the end, council decided to keep negotiations between the different parties going.
“We’re not stuck in the mud,” said Mayor Terry Ugulini. “We’re working through a process.”
If and when the school will be build remains to be seen.
