FAQs
- building?
1. Will there be any work done to the existing building as part of the project?
The existing building at 416 Kingscourt will receive upgrades to the intercom and exterior doors. Access to the existing building will be maintained throughout the construction period. There is also a significant amount of landscaping being planned for the entire property. Some trees will need to be removed, but they will be replaced by many new trees and shrubs.
2. Will site plans be available online?
The site plans and renderings for the new building will be added to the Engage Region of Waterloo project page Affordable Housing - Kingscourt Drive, Waterloo | EngageWR
3. Could the balconies of the existing building be painted as part of this project?
All WRH properties will be inspected this Spring/Summer as part of the larger Building Condition Assessment scheduled for the housing portfolio. The balconies will be reviewed at that time and recommendations will be provided by the consultant.
4. Will people living in the existing building be allowed to move into the new building?
No, this is not a relocation project and therefore existing tenants will not be moving into the new building. Once the building is complete it will become part of the WRH portfolio and all WRH tenants can apply through the Community Housing Access Centre (CHAC) to move to this building should a unit become available. More information about the application process and the online application for housing can be found here: https://forms.regionofwaterloo.ca/External/Community-Services/Housing/Application-for-Community-Housing
5. Are tenants from the existing building able to access laundry facilities in the new building?
The laundry facilities in the new building will be the same as what is currently in the existing building. Tenants of the existing building will be able to use the laundry facilities in the new building.
6. What is the capacity of the new amenity rooms?
There are three different amenity spaces in the new building. The use, size and capacity of each space is shown in the table below.
Amenity space | Who can use this space | Size (sqft) | Capacity (2m/person) |
Seniors programming space | Seniors in the building and community accessing services | 2,125 | 106 |
Large amenity space | Tenants of both buildings. There may also be opportunity for the broader community to access this space. Specific programs to be offered in the space is yet to be determined. This space will include a kitchen. | 838 | 42 |
Smaller amenity space (across hall from Senior Services) | Tenants of both buildings. There may also be opportunity for the broader community to access this space. | 396 | 20 |
Capacity is based on 1.85 m2 per person (19.9 sqft).
7. Is there any plan to designate a landlord for the building? It is very important to have someone respond quickly to issues.
For daytime issues that occur during construction of the new building tenants are asked to contact Lorraine Eisenporth. Lorraine is the Tenant and Community Relations Specialist for the building and will respond to issues that are directly impacting tenants during construction. Lorraine can be reached at 519-575-4400 ext. 7080 or at leisenporth@regionofwaterloo.ca.
If an issue arises after hours or on the weekend, tenants can call the Service First Call Centre at 519-575-4400. Someone from WRH is on call and will respond to your concern.
Neighbouring residents can call the Service First Call Centre with any construction related issues. The call centre is available 24/7 with 200 languages available. Residents can choose to be contacted by email, phone or text.
8. Where will construction vehicles park during the construction of the new building?
Construction traffic management is handled through the site plan process. The City requires a construction management plan, which is reviewed and accepted by engineering staff. Conditions may be imposed through the site plan agreement. The general contractor who is hired for the project will mandate access to the site for construction vehicles and adhere to the conditions of the accepted construction management plan.
9. Will this presentation be posted on-line where it can be viewed for those who were unable to attend these meetings?
The tenant and neighbourhood presentations will be posted on the Region of Waterloo Engage page for the 416 Kingscourt project which can be found using this link: Affordable Housing - Kingscourt Drive, Waterloo | EngageWR
10. Is the Region of Waterloo looking at the impact of the development on traffic along Kingscourt Drive and Davenport?
The number of parking spaces being added to the property and the corresponding vehicle increase will not add significantly to the overall road capacity. Local roads such as Kingscourt Drive are designed to accommodate the level of traffic expected for the surrounding developments including that of the proposed building. The Region has applied for a minor variance to reduce the parking rate at 416 Kingscourt Drive based on the forecasted needs of the proposed affordable housing building, which will in turn lessen the amount of new traffic to the local road network.
11. Are there any pedestrian improvements planned for trails and walkways that connect the property to Conestoga Mall and the ION station?
Pedestrian pathways outside of the property are not within the scope of this project. However, the City of Waterloo always looks for opportunities to improve pedestrian travel. There is an existing pedestrian pathway to Conestoga Mall from Kingscourt Drive, which provides a safe and accessible travel route for residents / tenants to reach the mall and transit services.
12. Can a GRT bus stop be added to Kingscourt Drive? It currently takes approximately 10 minutes to walk to Davenport to catch the bus.
There are currently no plans to bring a GRT bus stop to Kingsport Drive.
13. Are there plans to add a Community Centre in this neighbourhood? With the additional families moving into the new building space it will be important to have space for holding programs.
A new playground will be built on the property that will serve children of both buildings. The entire playground is being designed to be accessible. Two games tables and a bench are also being installed in the area which can serve residents of all ages in both buildings.
Inside the new building there will be services and programs offered by the Region’s Senior Services department for senior residents of both buildings as well as the broader community.
There are also two designated amenity spaces for tenants within the new building. The larger space will have kitchen facilities. The Region will be reaching out to tenants and potentially the community to look at what programs are wanted or needed in these spaces. More information on this will be shared with the community at a later time.
14. What accessibility standards or guidelines were used in designing the new building?
The accessibility standards used in this building are those of CMHC National Housing Co-Investment Fund. There will be 16 accessible units (ranging from 1 to 5 bedrooms) in the new building. The percentage of accessible units in the building (22%) exceeds what is required by the Ontario Building Code requirements (15%). Common areas throughout the building will also be barrier free.
More information about the National Housing Co-Investment accessibility requirements for new affordable housing can be found here: https://eppdscrmssa01.blob.core.windows.net/cmhcprodcontainer/files/pdf/co-invest%20fund/nhs-co-invest-fund-environmental-and-accessibility-new-construction-aug2018-en.pdf
15. What will the process be for moving in the new tenants?
The Region is working on a moving in strategy. Move-ins will be staggered over a few days in order to maintain access to the parking lot and avoid multiple moving trucks arriving at the same time.
16. How will construction noise be managed during the project?
The general contractor for the project will be responsible for mandating the hours of the day where construction can take place. There will be periods during the project where a higher level of noise will occur (for example when drilling). These hours will be further limited on a daily basis.
17. Who will be occupying the new units?
This will be a mixed affordability building. Approximately one third of the units will be occupied by people currently on the Community Housing wait list. These will be rent-geared to income units. A third of the units will be rented to tenants who will pay below average market rent (BAMR) for their units and the final third will pay low end of market rent. The Region is creating a strategy for selecting the BAMR and low end of market rent tenants.
Is access to the underground parking lot going to be controlled and secured?
Access to the underground parking lot will be controlled and secured.
19. How is the design of the building going to address noise from the expressway?
The Region had to complete a noise study as part of the Site Plan Application. The sound rating was acceptable. Insulation in the building as well as triple glaze windows will help reduce noise in the units and add to overall energy efficiency of the building.
20. What will security of the new building look like?
There will be many new security cameras installed in common areas, stairwells, parking garage and other areas. These cameras will not intrude on the privacy of tenants. The existing building is also receiving upgrades to access doors and a new intercom system. The Region created a Security Masterplan in 2021 and all WRH sites are being evaluated.
21. Is there any public art planned for the new building? Perhaps a mural or opportunity for a public participatory art project that the community could be part of?
Yes, there is a budget for a public art project at this site. The Region is still working on how this will be implemented but we will be reaching out to tenants and the community.
Lorraine Eisenporth, the Tenant and Community Specialist for 416 Kingscourt will support this project. More information on this will be provided at a later date.
22. If we live in Shamrock Co-op and have family members who need affordable housing can they apply to live in this new building?
Anyone in the Region can apply through the Region’s Community Housing Wait list. The online application can be found here: https://forms.regionofwaterloo.ca/External/Community-Services/Housing/Application-for-Community-Housing
23. Have existing tenants had opportunity to speak, not everyone has access to computers.
The Region hosted two tenant meetings on January 11 and 14 where the design of the new building was presented along with other important information impacting tenants during the project. Anyone who was unable to attend the on-line meetings may request a hardcopy of the presentation. As we move forward through the construction process tenants will receive regular newsletters about the project and receive notices if construction development will impact them directly.
24. Have you surveyed the existing tenants of their needs?
We will be reaching out to the tenants to see what types of programming and services they would like to see in the new amenity spaces of the building.
25. Is there an opportunity to create a community garden on the site?
This is a very tight infill site. With space requirements for parking, grading, servicing, landscaping, drainage, playground, and Ministry of Transportation setbacks from Highway 85, there is not enough room for community gardens on the property.
The City of Waterloo is open to discussing with interested persons opportunities for community spaces (such as community gardens) on municipal lands, where appropriate. For more information, please visit: Partners in Parks program - 2021 Community planting neighbourhood parks (waterloo.ca)