City looks to expropriate land to make room for BRT on Wellington Road | CBC News (2024)

Matthew Trevithick · CBC News

· Posted: May 27, 2024 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

As work on the southern leg of London's bus rapid transit network continues, city staff are asking that council allowthe partial expropriation of five properties near a major phase of the project.

A report going before the corporate services committee on Monday says portions of the lots are needed to complete bridge widening on Wellington Road for bus-only lanes.The work is part of the Wellington Gateway project.

City staff have recommended that approval be given to expropriate the land, as may be required.

The five properties are located near Wellington Road and Grand Avenue, just south of the Thames River, and include two small apartment buildings, a single-detached home, a commercial property with a take-out pizza store, and a grassy lot used for billboards.

The city is seeking several metres from the front of each property – 22, 57, 63, and 75 Wellington Rd., and 161 Grand Ave. The reportsays it would be in the form of total buyouts, and permanent or temporary easem*nts.

"Negotiations with all property owners have been ongoing since fall of 2023 and there are five properties outstanding," the report from city staff reads, adding legal possession of the property will be needed to start certain work.

"As legal possession of all property requirements will be needed to commence utility work and construct the 2025 civil works identified in the Clark's Bridge contract, the expropriation of all outstanding property is necessary."

If endorsed by the committee and then full council, the owners would have the opportunity to request a hearing of necessity to question whether the expropriation was "fair, sound and reasonably necessary."

Bill Warner, the city's director of realty services, told CBC News the city would continue to negotiate with the owners, but noted that, in order to meet construction timelines, it was important to initiate the expropriation process, should it be needed, so the city could takepossessionby the fall.

"That process does provide entitlements and protection to the property owner's rights with respect to compensation for the property," he said—fair-market value based on an independent appraisal.

"We undertake that at this stage in order to, hopefully, have the property in legal possession in order to continue with the next phases of construction."

Construction on the bridge began in April and willcontinue through next year. It includes underground infrastructure upgrades, including between Grand Avenue and Watson Street starting in 2025.

The Wellington Gateway will connect downtown London to the White Oaks Mall area, and is set to be finished in 2027.

At least four metres is being sought from 22 Wellington Rd. The property, owned by Jim Pattison Group since 1982, is used by the company's outdoor advertising division for billboards.

In a short statement, Steve McGregor, president of Pattison Outdoor, said the company was aware of the matter, and would be speaking with the city this week about the property.

CBC News attempted to contact the three owners of the other properties, but was not able to get responses from two of them.

Outside 75 Wellington Rd., a man who identified himself as the spouse of the property owner said an agreement had been reached between them and the city.

Asked whether any deals had been made, Warner said there had, but declined to comment further. Agreements are subject to council approval, and negotiations are deemed confidential until then, he said.

"Should agreements be completed, the city will remove those properties from the expropriation application," he said, addingnegotiations had been "amicable," and the city hoped to come to terms withproperty owners in the next month or two.

The city has been on an acquisition spree over the last several years, buying up land to accommodate the Wellington Gateway project. At least 34 properties along Wellington, most single-detached homes, have been demolished between the river and Base Line Road.

Three of them — 16, 26, 28, and 30 Wellington Rd. — were approved for demolition earlier this year. As of last week, only 16 Wellington Rd. remained, pending a date with the wrecking ball.

Warner says the city had also initiated 15 partial acquisitions and one full buyout for properties related to the third and fourth phases of construction, stretching from Wilkins Street to the branch's southern terminus.

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