The city of Kingston has identified the former Rideau Marina site (48 A Point St Mark Dr.)  as the "preferred location" for the expansion of the sleeping cabins project.   This is a pilot project which provides small sleeping cabins for Kingston's homeless community.  

I oppose the sleeping cabins move to the former Rideau Marina site (48A Point St Mark Dr) due to the below concerns:

1.  the proposed site is not accessible to residents of the sleeping cabins.

- many residents of the sleeping cabins suffer from mobility concerns and require mobility assisted devices.  The former Rideau Marina site is not an appropriate location as there is a very steep hill that will need to be travelled to exit the former Rideau Marina site.  This will be difficult for sleeping cabin residents who suffer with mobility concerns.

2. Fire and safety concerns for residents of the sleeping cabins given entryway/exit to the site is a single laneway

- the single lane entryway/exit to the former Rideau Marina site cannot be widened as it is surrounded by residential homes.  Not only will this raise concerns for additional traffic to those nearby homes but also potential fire and safety concerns for residents of the sleeping cabins and staff, given the single laneway access to this site. 

3. no nearby access to amenities such as bus routes, groceries, social services etc.

- the former Rideau Marina site is surrounded by a local residential community with no immediate access to bus routes, stores or social services.  This would require vulnerable residents, many suffering from mobility issues, to travel long distances, including over a steep hill and through a local residential neighborhood to access a bus stop, store or social services.

4. Environmental Concerns

-  the sleeping cabins do not have running water, bathrooms or a kitchen.  When the sleeping cabins were placed at alternative locations in the past, residents of the sleeping cabins had access to common areas, which had showers, bathrooms, kitchenettes and laundry services.  There is no such common area on the former Rideau Marina site.  As a result, a significant amount of construction would be necessary to house the sleeping cabins within the former Rideau Marina location.  Building on this site raises environmental concerns such as the impact on the Rideau Canal.  Furthermore, given that this location was previously a marina, perhaps there may already be environmental concerns with land contamination at the proposed site.

5. Increased traffic and noise to the local residential community

- the entryway/exit to the former Rideau Marina site is a single laneway surrounded by residential homes and therefore cannot be widened.  This would add a significant amount of traffic and noise for those homes.  Furthermore, this local residential community will already have experienced a significant increase in local traffic given the construction and opening of the third crossing.  The move of the sleeping cabins would further increase vehicle and foot traffic within the local residential neighborhood.   

6.  It is not compatible with the surrounding low density neighborhood

- when the city of Kingston previously reviewed Homestead's proposal of an apartment building within the former Rideau Marina site, it was noted that the "proposal does not comply with the requirements of the official plan in terms of its impact on the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Designation" and indicated that any development on the former Rideau Marina site would need to be "compatible with the surroundings low density neighborhood".  The sleeping cabins are not compatible with the the surrounding low density neighborhood.

7.  it will decrease the local residential property value and safety of the community.

- the proposed location will require vulnerable residences from the sleeping cabins to travel through the local neighborhood.  This causes concerns with increased noise, increased traffic, increased litter, increased potential for drug paraphernalia litter and even potential increased crime within the area.  

Due to the above noted concerns, I feel that the placement of the sleeping cabins at the former Rideau Marina site is NOT a suitable location and request the city of Kingston to consider an alternative location.