Wide swath of land for BRT road widening infuriates property owners on Dundas
Widening the road for rapid transit will require some Dundas Street property owners to part with 15 feet (or more) of their land— beyond the existing sidewalk.
Recently, property owners were contacted by city hall about acquiring the land necessary to add dedicated bus lanes and a centre median as part of the East London Link rapid transit project.
If a sales agreement can’t be reached, the city will pursue expropriation.
Lou Fatibene, owner of Dundas Automotive Repair, says taking away about 18 feet of his property will make it virtually impossible to run his business.
“We won’t be able to back cars in and out (of the repair bays), trucks in and out, tow trucks won’t be able to come in,” he explains.
According to him, the city’s first offer was $52,000.
Widening the road has always been part of the city’s rapid transit plan along the stretch of Dundas Street near Ashland Avenue.
However, car lots and repair shops in the area say the ability to park and maneuver vehicles is a critical part of operating their businesses.
At Dundas Auto Sales, Mario Fatibene will lose 15 feet along Dundas Street, plus land to accommodate vehicles turning from McCormick Boulevard.
“We basically won’t be able to back a truck out of that garage door safely without hitting pedestrians on the new sidewalk,” he worries.Dundas Automotive Repair has been approached to sell a vital part of its parking lot in London, Ont. on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)
Homeowners east of Ashland Avenue have also been approached by the city to sell about 15 feet of their front lawns.
They’ve expressed concern that only a few feet of grass and a large retaining wall will separate their porches from the sidewalk and road.
Director of construction and infrastructure Jennie Dann says the city has modified the design to reduce the amount of land acquisition.
“We do need property to accommodate the two transit only lanes and the centre median, and that’s consistent with the approved EA (Environmental Assessment). Then what happens is those land needs increase at intersections,” she tells CTV News.
On Wellington Road, several properties were purchased in their entirety and cleared by the city because the buildings were in direct conflict with upcoming construction.
Director of realty services Bill Warner says existing structures don’t impede construction along that stretch of Dundas, but the new position of a property line can impact the city’s financial offer.
“If it does come so close that there is a change in the value of the overall property after we consider acquiring the partial property, we will also consider that in the offer of compensation,” Warner explains.
Offers are based on independent professional appraisals.
Warner adds that land acquisition in the area is still in the early stages.
But Lou Fatibene says faced with selling a vital piece of his property to the city or expropriation— he feels trapped.
“They are basically shutting me down from what I do,” Fatibene says. “They’ll put five people out of work.”
BRT construction in the area will likely start in 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.