The Green Solution for Northdale

Join Hugwaterloo and Help Urbanize the Ghetto

The taxpaying homeowners of Northdale invite you, students and taxpayers from the rest of Waterloo, and other interested parties, to resolve the unending struggle to “solve” the problems of a student ghetto by encouraging Waterloo City Council to move forward with a proactive 21st century design solution.

Re-urbanization through Intensification is the goal

The Problem: (www.universitiesneighbourhood.blogspot.com)
The current zoning (SR2) is not being used as it was originally intended: single family occupancy
The perception of the area as a “student zone” prevents homes from attracting owner-occupants
The large yards are not being used for any practical purpose, but instead encourage partying, lawn parking, garbage accumulation, fireworks, etc.
There are only 6 houses left used solely for owner-occupancy (no rentals) owned by people under 60.
The zoning is inappropriate for the natural evolution of the area and the city needs to find the will to rezone to MR zoning large enough for on-site property managers.
The city is stuck on defending a failed model and propping it up with your tax dollars.
The area between Lester, University, Columbia and King Streets is fast becoming a Kingston style embarrassment to the residents of the city and Region as the long-time owners leave their homes, unable to attract owner-occupants.
The city has rezoned WCI, St. David’s, and St. Michael’s church properties for apartment buildings, leaving nothing to attract families long-term.
Hundreds of charges are laid in a month (September) (seniors threatened, families vandalized)

The Vision:

Transit-oriented mixed-use development (bus is a 1 block walk and future LRT)
World class modern design replaces 1960’s inefficient housing stock
Green elements – LEEDS compliant
One-Neighbourhood context for housing, employment, education, retail, professional spaces, recreation, arts, culture (cars unnecessary)
First class team of architects and design professionals
Project that serves as a model of outstanding transit-oriented development
A neighbourhood of pride for all taxpayers of Waterloo City and Region.
Car-free neighbourhood
Intensification in the core to preserve the outlying green areas.
Showcase local energy efficient companies in the building form (eg. ARISE) for the world to see.
Reflects well on our close-proximity internationally renowned institutions and corporations
Reinforces “ intelligent community” label
Increased density supports Uptown Waterloo businesses (short walk away)


Benefits for the Community

Draws students back into an attractive, safe, urban neighbourhood and out of the suburbs freeing up housing stock for families.
Provides neighbourhood retail services for easy access.
Enhanced public environment and pedestrian experience through landscaping and streetscape improvements.
Carefully balanced layout and proposed design elements premised on Grow Up, Not Out
Provides modern managed condos/apartments for technology sector employees in close walking distance to work.
The neighbourhood can become an icon of modern urban design principles, building a community from the ground up, that the world coming to our streets (CIGI, Universities, RIM, etc.) can look on with respect – an ECOTOPIA.

Benefits for Taxpayers

Reduced cost of policing by creating a diverse neighbourhood that people take pride in
Free up policing resources for more significant crimes than managing noise and keg parties
Reduced demand on bylaw enforcement (lot maintenance, parties, property standards)
Avoid the proposed licensing costs ($800,000 hit for taxpayers) by eliminating the housing form that promotes partying, rundown housing, garbage, etc. (pg. 14 of the rental housing licensing review)
Increased tax revenue through rezoning for intensification
Preserve the moraine for Waterloo’s water resources
Exceeding the urban intensification guidelines of Places to Grow preserves limited green lands
Green design principles reduce the burden on water supplies, sewers, other infrastructure as Waterloo grows

Join Us - Be a Ghetto-Buster

Help turn Northdale into an energetic, urban neighbourhood, with a diverse population, environmentally progressive, a model of how a city can work together to turn a failed neighbourhood that pits resident against resident into a model of co-operation and pride. When Waterloo Intensifies Northdale we all WIN.

How you can help:

Sign the petition at hugwaterloo.com

Write letters to the paper.

Tell your friends they can help “green” Waterloo.

Tell your fellow taxpayers that Waterloo is wasting their taxes managing this when a better solution exists.

Next year is municipal election year: make sure that your councillor realizes you don’t want anymore of your tax dollars going to prop up a failure of policy and planning that has been unraveling for 20 years.
Make sure they know that you want Waterloo to move into the 21st century with Urban Design Principles that we can all be proud of.

Contact: hugwaterloo@gmail.com

Facebook: HUGWaterloo