Urban Academy is proposing an expansion to its Sapperton campus less than two years after moving into its new digs because of increasing interest in the private school.
Once based out of buildings in Queen’s Park and uptown neighbourhoods, Urban Academy partnered with Wesgroup on a 60,000-square-foot school at 466 Rousseau St. and moved in to its new home in March 2019. It’s now applying to the city for a zoning bylaw text amendment and a development permit amendment that will allow for the addition of fourth and fifth levels to the northeast side of the school.
According to a staff report, the expansion would consist of a 106-square-metre (1,140-square-foot) addition on the fourth floor and a 494-square-metre (5,317-square-foot) addition on the fifth floor, which would provide additional space for classrooms, learning areas, a kitchen, washrooms, offices, storage and maintenance rooms. The outdoor rooftop space would be relocated to be on top of the fifth-level addition.
The zoning bylaw text amendment would increase the maximum number of students attending the school from 450 to 550.
“As stated by the applicant, the present design and enrolment capacity was determined at the time of the original rezoning, based on what the school could afford to build with confidence,” said the report. “Interest in the school has grown since this project received formal approvals, and construction was commenced. As such, Urban Academy proposes the addition in order to provide more variety of grade configurations and potentially a larger secondary school population, which is not possible under the existing 450-student maximum.”
A staff report states this application would be the final phase of development for Urban Academy.
Council will consider the proposal at a Sept. 30 public hearing.
Coun. Jaimie McEvoy said traffic was the major concern when the proposal was presented to the McBride Sapperton Residents’ Association.
“The problem I am having is a confidence problem. According to the people in the neighbourhood, there are all kinds of problems with the existing traffic-control system,” he said. “I do remember the assurances that we had at council about the number of people who would be commuting to the school and not going by vehicle. That doesn’t seem to be happening in the way that was expected.”
Council approved McEvoy’s motion directing staff to ensure the applicant’s revised traffic plan go back to the residents’ association for discussion.
Christine Edward, a transportation planner with the city, said staff are working with Urban Academy to identify what measures they can put in place to address traffic concerns.
“They did provide some additional information about vehicle volumes and how people are accessing the site. What came out in the study is within the projections for the original development. So we had anticipated this was the amount of volume that would be accessing the site,” she said. “As we have indicated, any new change to the site will increase the number that will be accessing that. But what is occurring (now) is within what was projected for the original rezoning of the site.”
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr said he’ll listen to what residents have to say before making his final decision, but said this wasn’t contemplated when the site was rezoned to allow for the existing school.
“This is significant. This is 100 more students. … That is not what I contemplated when I supported moving it to that area and giving them the zoning that permitted the school,” he said. “I am really anxious to hear what the community has to say.”
