Some fantastic local news for your Friday: Kitchener is going to build a new fire station downtown and make it mixed use by putting 150 affordable housing units on top. I hope this becomes a test case that can spread throughout the region. www.therecord.com/news/council... - ThreadSky

philmarfisi.bsky.social • 28 days ago

Some fantastic local news for your Friday: Kitchener is going to build a new fire station downtown and make it mixed use by putting 150 affordable housing units on top. I hope this becomes a test case that can spread throughout the region.

https://www.therecord.com/news/council/new-downtown-kitchener-fire-station-will-share-space-with-affordable-apartments-in-mixed-use-building/article_21406e92-e690-5b83-99b6-30b16121ba7e.html

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weggles.bsky.social•28 days ago

I wonder if living at a fire hall would have any impact on insurance rates 😅. The response time couldn't be better?

colleenmr.bsky.social•27 days ago

Hope the sound-proofing is extra special ...

ourjoymovement.bsky.social•28 days ago

Does anyone have info on how Kitchener housing is defining affordability? The city has clashing definitions

dtkmelissa.bsky.social•28 days ago

What are the clashing definitions?

dtkmelissa.bsky.social•28 days ago

There's this one: Affordability is defined by Kitchener’s Official Plan as the lesser of:
a. A unit for which the rent or housing co-op monthly charges (similar to rent) does not exceed 30% of the gross annual household income for low- and moderate-income households; or...

dtkmelissa.bsky.social•28 days ago

... b. A unit for which the rent or housing co-op monthly charges (similar to rent) is at or below the average
market rent of a unit in the regional market area.

ourjoymovement.bsky.social•27 days ago

Yeah both market and income based definitions are used by city policies. Luckily these units are all non-market under Kitchener Housing so long term affordability is within rrealm of control. Also stoked to see city using land acquisitions for Kitchener Housing!!

koinskock.bsky.social•28 days ago

So, like, completely serious question: when the fire emergency horns go off it's like 45db. Is that gonna be, like, toned down for the units above?

mdruker.app•28 days ago

In my observations, emergency vehicles here don’t turn on their sirens right at their home stations, they only do that when they start to hit traffic

raynarambling.bsky.social•28 days ago

We built a new fire station in downtown Victoria and put affordable housing above it. Lights control the traffic on the street outside it, and sirens don’t start until later. https://pacificahousing.ca/the-dalmatian.php

philmarfisi.bsky.social•28 days ago

I didn't even think about this but honestly a great question because I think I would have also assumed this. Thank you Michael and Rayna for the added context, it gives confidence that we can make these types of projects succeed for everyone.

koinskock.bsky.social•28 days ago

Yeah, same here; thank you so much for the context, guys! This should absolutely be built-in to any civic building project moving forward. It's great!

raynarambling.bsky.social•28 days ago

IMO, all public infrastructure buildings should also have housing built above. Also in my city, a library branch is being replaced, and the new build has 200 units of affordable housing above the library levels. https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/community/community-planning/housing-division/nellie-mcclung-library-redevelopment.html

bollardfan.bsky.social•28 days ago

I've seen an example of this in Arlington! Really cool concept

philmarfisi.bsky.social•28 days ago

I don't think we should really be doing any single use public buildings in urban cores anymore. Adds so much to the community when it's mixed, and so much more cost effective.

philmarfisi.bsky.social•28 days ago

Partially brought to you in part by HAF funding. Amazing things happen when the federal government uses the carrot/stick method with cities happy to participate.

stephaniefritz.bsky.social•28 days ago

Does it say where they're planning to put it?

mdruker.app•28 days ago

stephaniefritz.bsky.social•28 days ago

Ah thanks! My phone had kicked me out of my Record login and the website kept booting me out of the article. I'd been wondering what might happen to the Sushi Stars/old B&T locations!

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