A proposed long-term care home in Windsor’s Forest Glade neighbourhood is generating both interest and concern as the project enters the early stages of the city’s planning process.
Residents have been notified of a public open house scheduled for Sept. 21, where developers will present preliminary plans for the facility and gather feedback from the community.
The proposal is for vacant land on Wildwood Drive next to Seneca Park. Ward 7 coun. Angelo Marignani says opinions in the neighbourhood are split.
“I’ve been hearing both sides. Some people want it, some people don’t. People are concerned about the congestion and the problems that occur with the development being there. But remember that this is in its preliminary stages, nothing has been solidified,” Marignani said.
He says there isn’t enough information available to determine whether the project is appropriate for the site, but he believe the proposal is drawing attention because of where it’s being considered.
“This is really tough for Forest Glade simply because it’s a residential area, it is the suburbs and we really don’t have this type of development within the Forest Glade area,” Marignani said.
“A lot of residents are concerned about the characteristic of the neighborhood and how it will affect that characteristic.”
Marignani says he has not yet seen detailed plans for the proposed facility and intends to attend the open house himself to review the renderings and learn more about the project.
He added that residents will have several opportunities to weigh in before any decision is made.
“You have the public consultation and then it goes to the development standing committee and then it goes to council. So there’s three times where people can get engaged and express their concerns,” said Marignani.
The public open house will be held Sept. 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Forest Glade Community Centre’s Wildwood Room.
Developers will present the proposal and answer questions from residents before any formal planning applications are considered by the city.