Process of redeveloping former Sudbury hospital begins at April 29 meeting
Plans to redevelop the former St. Joseph’s Hospital on Paris Street in Sudbury are moving ahead, with the first stage of the approvals process taking place next week.
Panoramic Properties, which owns the site, is going to the city’s planning committee in two stages to get approval of its plans. Panoramic wants to build a total of 109 retirement home guest rooms, 421 multiple dwelling units, up to three levels of underground parking and 380 square metres of restaurant space.
The retirement home would be a maximum of 12 storeys, while the tallest building – an apartment building with 222 units – would be a maximum of 20 storeys.
The proposal goes to planning April 29 and will be followed by a second public hearing before formal approvals and other steps to move forward.
“This is a preliminary planning report intended to introduce the application, provide departmental and agency comments received to date, and obtain additional input on the proposal from the public and the proponents,” a staff report on the plan said.
Staff will review the report and come up with recommendations in time for a second public hearing. But neighbours in the area are already expressing concern.
Concerns include increased traffic and noise, that the development would block the view of Ramsey Lake and that it includes too many units.
“Though I would like to see the development of this site, I believe the significant number of units is far too many for this neighbourhood to maintain the nature of the community,” one person said.
Another person was upset about the lack of timelines, especially considering how long the city has waited for the redevelopment.
“The proposal contains no timeline for completion of the development,” another person said.
A mural painted on the former hospital site became controversial when the paint began to fade and no development work was being done. (File)
“Based on the progress over the last 10 or more years, that means Bell Park will be dominated by perpetual construction for decades.”
“A 12-, 16- and 20-storey building will have an obvious and negative impact on Bell Park,” another person wrote.
“This fact alone should be sufficient reason for Planning Services to reject the application.”
But one letter welcomed the long-anticipated project.
“In sending this letter of support we fully understand and expect: traffic restrictions and interruptions, some noise matters, some dust and general area ‘housekeeping’ matters and local movement disruptions throughout the development process and that this overall period may last a number of years,” a couple who live on Paris Street said.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“We respect this may/will result in some challenges from time to time with us as local residents but fully respect the work and approach here and will support this development in any feasible way we can.”
Read the full report on the project here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.