In the March 2008 Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) elections, a referendum was held. Seventy-five percent of voters said that they do not "support the use or lease of Trent University land to a private developer for the construction and operation of a non-college, private residence facility.” It is now the official policy of the TCSA to oppose the privatization of University residences.
Students and community members have made it clear to the City of Peterborough and the Trent Administration that we do NOT want a private residence built at Trent.
Read why we are opposed to Trent’s privatized housing project here.
Don’t forget to join the Facebook group: “Oppose Trent’s Private Water Street Residence”
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*NEW* July 23, 2010: Sources indicate that RDC and Trent are about to submit a new site plan to City Hall. We are eager to see how Trent University has responded to community concerns since there has been little communication from Trent since our meetings last summer.
We are also disappointed that Trent once again appears to be advancing their project at a time when students are not in session. It is noteworthy that all classes end in July and August is a very quiet time at the University.
However, there is an election this fall and it is unlikely that RDC/Trent will make it onto the last City Council meeting of the current council. Council will resume on December 13th 2010. This also gives students, the coalition, and the University Heights Neighbourhood Association an opportunity to raise student housing issues during the election and turn this into a serious election debate.
Other Updates:
* The survey of the Downtown Business Improvement Association (DBIA) has been completed. Eighty-eight percent of respondents are opposed to the privatized resident to be located at 1633 Water Street. Full report to be issued this fall.
* A case study of the highly successful NPRT Coalition commissioned by CUPE National will be finalized this summer.
* NPRT Coalition was (indirectly) mentioned in the Globe and Mail July 15, 2010.
“Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., has floated the idea of building a private residence on campus property for several years, but has faced stiff student opposition.”
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February 18, 2010: Trent University has created a Task Force to consider the matter of the Private Residence.
The following was posted by Trent’s communications office today:
Update #2 - Water Street Residence Project
Feb 18, 2010 11:57 am by Communications
February 16, 2010
Beginning in August, 2009 a series of meetings has been held at Trent University with individuals and groups to gain a greater awareness of the process and issues related to the proposed Water Street Residence Project.
Together with our partner (the Residence Development Corporation, RDC), I have met with a cross-section of the Trent University and Peterborough communities including students, faculty, staff, Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA), the University Heights Neighbourhood Association, the No Private Residence at Trent Coalition, the Downtown Business Improvement Association, City of Peterborough, the Trent University Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) and the Facilities and Grounds Committee, among others. I have also, as part of the process, reviewed the financial terms of the existing lease and visited similar developments at the University of Western Ontario (London), University of Guelph, and University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa).
I would like to thank all those who have participated in this consultative process for their thoughtful and insightful contributions. The many perspectives and opinions have contributed to a deeper understanding of the diversity of views about the project, and have helped provide context for the earlier and current planning environments.
To guide decision-making about the future of the Water Street Residence Project, an Advisory Task Force on the Water Street Residence will now be formed. Terms of reference for the Advisory Task Force, to be chaired by Trent University’s Vice-President External Relations and Advancement, Dianne Lister, may include advice on the planning context and recommendations on possible site plans and will consider the comments and perspectives raised through the consultative process. The Task Force will provide a report to the President/Vice-President Executive Committee (PVP) and to the Endowment Lands Committee of the Board of Governors.
Advisory Task Force on the Water Street Residence Proposed Membership:
Dianne Lister, VP External Relations and Advancement,Executive Sponsor and Task Force Chair
Don O’Leary, VP Administration, Alternate Task Force Chair
2 Members, Facilities and Grounds Committee
Member, Space Utilization Committee
Member, Endowment Lands Committee
Member, Environmental Advisory Board
Member, Physical Resources Department
External Consultant: Land-use Planning
For more information, please visit the Water Street Residence web site [LINKS TO TRENT’S WEBSITE].
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February 7, 2010: Update:
The application by Trent and Residential Development Corp. (RDC) to City Hall for permits and planning permission has been completely stalled by combined efforts of the coalition partners. As a consequence, Trent/RDC are now almost three years behind schedule with Phase I to have been completed and occupied by August 2009. Phase II was to be well underway by now.
The coalition has raised serious concerns over the suitability of the chosen site for the type of development proposed - high density housing as opposed to a student residence. Trent has returned to a consultative stage and we have had several candid meetings to discuss our concerns over the proposed development. We have outlined our concerns, namely that the residence ought to be operated and maintained by Trent staff (OPSEU 365) with Trent programming and support services appropriate for student residences, and that the residence be more centrally located on campus due to environmental concerns as well as several endangered species on the proposed site. We continue to participate in consultations, although cautiously because Trent has historically moved this project forward only during the summer months when our largest support base, students, are away from the University. However, it is hopeful that Trent is now engaging in a dialogue.
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August 21, 2009: Trent University's new president, Stephen Franklin, has issued his first public statement - and it happens to be about the private residence. This indicates that we have made this issue a high
priority for the new administration. It is encouraging to see that the dialogue is opening up, and we look forward to hearing from Trent University in response to our issues of privatization and zoning. Read the statement here.
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July 22, 2009: Coalition Update July 22, 2009
NPRT Coalition representatives met with the newly appointed president of Trent University, Professor Stephen Franklin, Tuesday July 21, 2009. Matthew Martin, NPRT Coordinator, and John Paul Nyereka, TCSA Vice-President, spent almost an hour in a candid and open discussion of the privatized housing development proposed for 1633 Water Street.
Martin and Nyereka used the hour to explain the reasons why the coalition is opposed to the private housing project, focusing on the privatization issues in particular. President Franklin was honest and open to hearing our concerns and was very respectful of our position. However, it was clear that Trent's proposal intends to move through the entire process at City Hall, while we respectfully pledged to thwart Trent’s efforts whenever possible.
However, NPRT is very encouraged by Franklin's willingness to engage on the issues in an open and sincere manner. We believe President Franklin understands our issues and is in agreement with us that Trent University needs to reinvigorate an atmosphere of mutual respect that Trent University is synonymous with.
In responding to a comment about the circumstances that sparked the NPRT Coalition into existence, namely a mind-set that was disrespectful to a process that should have been open and transparent for all stakeholders, President Franklin commented that he would like to make sure this kind of situation never arises at Trent again.
Nevertheless, we must continue to work against Trent's development proposal at City Hall to kill the project. Once we have stopped this project, we then have a duty to continue the discussion with the Administration about how to solve the real issues behind the proposal - the lack of an adequate funding formula for all universities in Ontario.
In the mean time, we must keep up the good fight!
In solidarity,
Matthew Martin
John Paul Nyereka
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July 20, 2009: NPRT welcomes the Council of Canadians Peterborough Chapter to our coalition! See the About Us page for their contact information.
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July 17, 2009: We now know why Trent/RDC have failed to meet the Site Planning criteria this time around. Attached are the results of our most recent FOI inquiry. It appears there are significant issues with slope stability and will require some serious encroachment into the neighbouring properties. I believe the report implies Trent/RDC will need the consent of the neighbours who own the property. If you look at item 23 of the ORCA report and at the comments from the City, this is a pretty serious issue that RDC and Trent have been asked to solve.
Interestingly, Trent/RDC have been giving different versions of their drawings to different bodies. In the ORCA report, they formally request this to be resolved! I now wonder if Trent/RDC will even be able to get the drawings and studies and the UHNA member's permission done before the August 30th meeting? I suspect the latter will be the most difficult to get.
See the FOI results in the Documents section.
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Don’t forget to join the Facebook group: “Oppose Trent’s Private Water Street Residence”
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Our bus ads appeared on Peterborough Transit buses that run to Trent University in September/October of 2008, and again in June/July 2009.
Last Updated: July 23, 2010
Since May 22, 2009
