Letter to the Editor – KPS Apartments

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Dear Editor,

I recently read the article “The KPS apartments backlash revisited” by Brandon Mayer, and there are a few points that seem very misleading.

North Grenville does minimal effort for openness, never once has a sitting council member sent any document to inform and to help residents understand the decision on the KPS property, and the purpose of people coming out angrily in opposition is to be heard, since no one in our community has been for over a year now. 

As a resident in that area, this argument started last spring before the demolition even started.

Residents were never informed about the demo in the first place and unexpectedly trucks started tearing it down. Also, it went hand in hand with rats and rodent infestation that have overtaken the neighborhood. Residents started having rodents destroying thousands of dollars’ worth of property, while dust and debris were falling from the sky during demolition. People have spent a substantial amount of money on rodent control, while receiving minimal or nothing back from the residential rebate program. I personally couldn’t let my kids play outside while trucks were working and then in limited areas because of rat poison and traps.   

Many homeowners on Blossom Road attempted to contact members of the council and township workers, to try to resolve the problems with demolition and rodents, starting in early spring 2022 and hearing only from the mayor and one councillor, in August 2022 after damages were done and the demolition was almost finished. During campaigning, now current sitting councillors were asked about what the property was going to become and what was going to be done about the rats, and we were lied to and mislead. Documents now show all along they knew what the property was going to become, while misinforming residents. 

The homeowners in the neighborhood are in constant contact with each other, and have created a wholesome, welcoming community, which is why many new residents were attracted to Kemptville in the first place, saying they moved here because of the quiet neighborhood and small-town charm. The units will add 300 or more people and 300 or more cars in the neighborhood, causing traffic and noise which will be a drastic difference to our now very quiet neighborhood. Some will not even have the sun shine in their windows anymore because of the size of the units, and others will have dumpsters touching their backyards. Others are worried about walking school aged children and the already problematic corner of Prescott and VanBuren. 

There are many new residents in our neighborhood, and both old and new are not in agreement with the decision to have four story buildings towering over our one-story homes. People want homes in Kemptville, that is all in agreement, and there was a three story 110-unit option available from the property owner and they are picking the four story, 168-unit problematic option. 

The quote from the article from the opinion piece “I don’t live in Kemptville and don’t feel that I have a right to register my own opinion, but that hasn’t stopped many others from speaking out”… “which can give a false sense of overall public opinion”, those people speaking out are people who live within eye sight of the property and are having their homes, properties and daily lives changed, without regards for their opinion. That is the purpose of open councils and bylaws. The people who sit at the council table are supposed to have our voice in the community, and never once have they asked for permission or advocated for us, which is the purpose of their job as mayor and councillors. You don’t live in Kemptville, you say you don’t get an opinion, but you are writing your opinion without regard for the actual community the North Grenville Times is serving. Knock on doors and ask, instead of pointing and stating these people are the minority, because we are not. As residents of North Grenville, we deserve and have every right to have our voices heard as voting members of the community. 

In my opinion, Council gets an F for open communication and no votes of confidence from the people who live in direct eyesight of a now rat infested, eyesore. They could have informed residents and had people on their side, no one wants others to go without a home, but the council chose to be secretive and misinforming. 

Sincerely,
Kasandra Comfort 

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