Kingston Concerned About the LVEC
Currently known as the "KROCK Centre"
Formerly the "Kingston Regional Sports and Entertainment Centre" or KRSEC
Formerly the "Large Venue Entertainment Centre" or LVEC
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We attended the Planning Committee meeting from 18.30-22.30. There were a handful of members of the public. After a presentation by the architects and a traffic specialist, questions of the committee members (councilors) followed by questions of the public.

Here some notes:

1. re Noise :

• Frontenac Village is afraid of excess of noise, especially re the glass wall on the East side
• there will be 15-16 pieces of equipment on the roof.
• equipment will not run all the time at full capacity
• A report had been provided to committee members (not to the public) which was commented on at some length by the Ellis Don presenter. According to this report,
  • noise levels from equipment and concerts must comply with  the Ontario MOE standards.  The MOE standards require that noise not interfere with the "normal enjoyment" of one's property, which means that people should be able to keep their windows open and sit out in their  patios.
  • The report recommends changes in some equipment and screening etc. The Ellis Don rep stated that they would comply with the recommendations.
  • In comments it was mentioned that pitch, as well as decibels, should be taken into account. It was also stated that residents would be watching closely and that if the noise exceeded MOE standards, we would  appeal to the MOE, as provided for in the legislation. 
• Committee members seemed quite receptive, and there were many questions and
  comments from them re noise.

2. re The building:

• Vicki Schmolka asked about handicap accessibility and expressed big concerns.
• OHIP building id 100 feet, LVEC will be 72 feet high.
• max. seating 6000 = 1500 floor seats = 7500 . The City calculated an attendance of 10,000 people of the last Blue Festival, which caused no problems.
• average expected attendance 5000 or less and full capacity will be not happen that many times per year.
• The building is not built for 7500 spectators. It is built for an average attendance.
• Planters with small trees will be placed on the walkways, which will be an obstacle for visually impaired people !

3. re Parking :

• no parking on site.
• Vicki Schmolka  asked about handicap parking on site and expressed again valid concerns.
• No straight answers on accessibility. Acessibility once within the building is good, and there will be ramps at all the entrances. But drop off accessibility is not clear.
• Taxi stand is in front of food Basics on Barrack St., not on Ontario St. because that will be too narrow.
• 1100 parking stalls within 400 m walk, 525 within 600 m walk
• Busses have to park at the City Yard, Division and Montreal St. (?)
• For 5000 visitors they calculated 2200 cars, but imagine 7500 patrons : maybe 4000 cars need to be parked ?
• solutions : carpooling, bus transportation, shuttle busses. Individual parking is expected mostly in the S and W direction from the building.
• In short: nothing new -- only repeated assurances about the desirability of dispersed parking. I'd love to see what happens in January!

4. re Traffic :

• Each year is expected a notable growth in traffic, especially when Block D is built out to the fullest.
• Place D'Armes (with 3 narrow lanes), Ontario St., Barrack and King St. will be all narrower overall and will be 2 way streets.
• Traffic lights on Place D'Armes and Wellington will be installed in future
• The ferry timetable won't be altered, but the timing of traffic lights will. The traffic staff person (didn't catch his name) opined that the ferry wouldn't be running when concerts let out late in the evening. In fact, the ferry runs until 2:00 a.m.!!  These people are operating in woeful ignorance of how that ferry operates!
• Apparently there are to be "lay-bys" along Barrack St. for taxis and drop off. There was a suggestion that the city MAY use space in the adjoining lot south of Barrack for this purpose (across from the facility).
• Wellington extension and the third crossing will help the traffic flow
• Emergency vehicles to LVEC : quick access is up to the manager of the building and/or police to organize that.
• Emergency vehicles to Frontenac Village : there is a fire lane on the Anglin Bay parking lot.

5. Voting :

• In principal site plan is approved, but
• Staff has to come back to the Committee on 21 September with solutions re handicap accessibility and parking and all other issues brought up for which there was no answer. Then there will be a vote for Final approval.