Welland South School closed in 1985, and the property sat dormant for 29 years until the building was demolished in 2014. During this time, residents of the surrounding neighbourhoods urged city officials to transform the property into new residential housing opportunities.
Better Neighbourhoods Development Consultants was hired to design the site plan, conduct all required engineering tests, and manage the project through the site plan approval stages.
The site features 37 townhouses, with a focus on the pedestrian experience and a diverse streetscape. A linear park at the east of the development connects the front of 5 units to the main street, providing a relaxed and semi-private setting for the front entrance and porch. Residents utilize a private rear land to access their garage, allowing the front of the house to face the neighbourhood.
Decentralizing the garage from the design benefits the urban experience and is a core principle of Traditional Neighbourhood Development. By removing the large garage door from the front of the home and subsequently removing the need for sidewalk intrusions for driveways, the pedestrian experience is significantly improved. In addition, it has been proven to reduce crime due to Jane Jacob’s “Eyes on the Street” theory.
170 Broadway was recognized as the 2017 Infill Design Award winner by the Canadian Association of Certified Planning Technicians.
Dan Romanko is a consulting Professional Planner practicing urban design, and neighbourhood development in Ontario with over 25 years’ experience.
Growing up in Mississauga in the ’80s, his childhood years were spent in a categorically suburban environment. This experience sparked an interest in land-use patterns and ultimately the Urban Planning profession. Dan began his academic career at Sheridan College, graduating as a Civil Engineering Technician in 1992; he then went on to complete the Honours Urban and Regional Planning program at the University of Waterloo, graduating in 1997. Years later, his interest in community scale sustainability found him continuing his education and he received a Master of Engineering Design in Sustainable Infrastructure from McMaster University in 2012.
Dan has worked as a planner in a consulting role since 1998. From 2000-2009, Dan worked with Barr Associates in St. Catharines as urban designer. After a five-year stint at another multi-disciplinary firm downtown St. Catharines, Dan returned to Barr Associates in 2015 as partner and the company changed its name to Better Neighbourhoods Inc.
In addition to his managing partner role, Dan is a full member in the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute and been qualified as an expert witness at the Ontario Land Tribunal. He has been an accredited member of the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU-A) since 2009 and has attended annual Congresses since 2006. Dan lives downtown St. Catharines with his family and is fortunate to have a seven minute walk to work.
