56 replies to this topic

[Coreyburger]

Just starting the thread on this. The current proposal is by Baptist Housing Society, 6 stories.

Useful websites:
Baptist Housing's project website
CRHD's Mount View website - Oak Bay Lodge replacement and the Mount View Baptist Site are funded as one.

[Coreyburger]

This went to Oak Bay Council this evening (Oct 24) to be sent out to public notice. Most of the neighbours already know, so this is just going through the legal motions. The vast majority of immediate neighbours appear to be worried about the size of the building.

This will come back to vote on November 14th, 5 days before the election. More information can be found on my website at http://www.coreyburg.../oak-bay-lodge/

[Coreyburger]

And this was defeated last night, 3-2. Outgoing councillor and defeated mayoral candidate Hazel Braithwaite voted against it, which is a change in her vote, alongside Mayor-Elect Nils Jensen and Councillor Ney. Outgoing Mayor (that is a lot people for one job) Causton and Councillor Herbert for.

[D.L.]

oh well!

[Bingo]

For a concrete building that is only about 40 years old, I don't know why it can't be renovated. That would be the green recycle approach. They have renovated older buildings at UVIC to extend their life.

We are going to need additional senior facilities in the next 10 years, so never mind wasting time tearing one down to build a new one, as that will only cause a shortage of beds during construction.

How about the municipality buying the building and running it themselves?

[Sparky]

^ I have been in the process over the last 5 years of refurbishing a 35 year old concrete building and it is going to be "as good as new" if not better, when completed.

We have also been able to perform the work with total occupancy and it is WAY cheaper than building new.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

[Coreyburger]

For a concrete building that is only about 40 years old, I don't know why it can't be renovated. That would be the green recycle approach. They have renovated older buildings at UVIC to extend their life.

We are going to need additional senior facilities in the next 10 years, so never mind wasting time tearing one down to build a new one, as that will only cause a shortage of beds during construction.

How about the municipality buying the building and running it themselves?

The issue is two-fold, from everybody I have been talking to:

1. The building is designed as a hotel, and as such, cannot handle things like lifts in every room, or wider doorways for larger wheelchairs. In essence, it is unsuitable as a modern care facility
2. It is 40 years old and the electrical/plumbing/etc. all need work/replacement. Given issue 1, 2 isn't worth it.

As for the municipality, that isn't going to happen. These beds are provincially funded, and VIHA only has enough funding for the beds they have now (they confirmed this last night). So any new facility is going to cause Oak Bay Lodge to be shut, regardless of location.

[rjag]

These beds are provincially funded, and VIHA only has enough funding for the beds they have now (they confirmed this last night). So any new facility is going to cause Oak Bay Lodge to be shut, regardless of location.

So anyone want to take me up on a wager that if they cant change to their specs then they will close it down and take their funding to Westshore?

Its a shame that the Muni and VIHA have to play 'mexican standoff' with each other. OB will end up being the loser if it shuts down.

Did anyone consider trying to partner this up with the new OB High school and all the land there including the big parking lot behind the rec centre at the bubble? You could easily fit a 6 story structure there and double or even triple deck the parking by Coast Capital.

There is adequate land there between the parking area and the field to the right as you drive in.....then take the old OB Lodge and turn it into extended care seniors housing such as Berwick House etc where its independent living as that could easily work...

[Coreyburger]

So anyone want to take me up on a wager that if they cant change to their specs then they will close it down and take their funding to Westshore?

Its a shame that the Muni and VIHA have to play 'mexican standoff' with each other. OB will end up being the loser if it shuts down.

Did anyone consider trying to partner this up with the new OB High school and all the land there including the big parking lot behind the rec centre at the bubble? You could easily fit a 6 story structure there and double or even triple deck the parking by Coast Capital.

There is adequate land there between the parking area and the field to the right as you drive in.....then take the old OB Lodge and turn it into extended care seniors housing such as Berwick House etc where its independent living as that could easily work...

There are a couple of parking lots in that area. Heading south, you have the parking lot immediately south of Bowker Creek. That belongs to the Rec Centre. It has been discussed asa possible location, but Cotter Architects, the architects that worked with Baptist Housing, said it wasn't big enough. It is a small lot.

The next two parking lots, which I am thinking are the ones you are thinking about, are slightly different. The paved lot just south of the tennis bubbles is municipally owned land,and is parking for the tennis bubbles themselves. South of that, between that lot and Elgin Gardens (also Baptist Housing) is schoolboard-designated land (Oak Bay never gave the land to the municipality, they just gave the school board indefinite lease). The new high school is using that land for construction staging and then for their own parking lot, as that will be the only parking lot on the new OB High Site.

As for moving it, VIHA and Baptist made it very clear they are already looking at land that is zoned for 6 stories, although they never said where it was. Westshore is probably a pretty good guess.

But that still leaves the land in Oak Bay. The last council has publicly said they will not rezone it, so assuming the new council takes the same course, then VIHA will have no buyers. What VIHA may attempt to do is leave the land vacant, or worse, just board up the lodge and walk away, hoping that pressure will build on council to get something, anything, done on that parcel of land.

[Barra]

I've had occasion to go to the Gorge Rd. hospital recently. There is a reasonably large piece of empty property at the road that appears to be part of the same "campus". Still in Victoria city limits, I think. It would be worth a trek through the City of Victoria website to look at the zoning maps for that property.

[Bingo]

.....then take the old OB Lodge and turn it into extended care seniors housing such as Berwick House etc where its independent living as that could easily work...

This is a good idea, since there is already a forth floor at Oak Bay Lodge that has independent living, except for meals in the dining room. If it is possible on one floor why not the rest of the building?

Not many people know this exists. I wonder why

[Baro]

This was just denied today I believe.

[Coreyburger]

This is a good idea, since there is already a forth floor at Oak Bay Lodge that has independent living, except for meals in the dining room. If it is possible on one floor why not the rest of the building?

Not many people know this exists. I wonder why

Independent Living at Oak Bay Lodge is subsidized by VIHA, and some of those beds are actually empty right now. Further, Shannon Oaks has empty spaces, but it is almost three times the cost.

[Bingo]

Independent Living at Oak Bay Lodge is subsidized by VIHA, and some of those beds are actually empty right now. Further, Shannon Oaks has empty spaces, but it is almost three times the cost.

All of the independent living facilities have empty spaces because of the turnover as the elderly pass on. You hear them advertising all the time.

Oak Bay Lodge does not have to be run by VIHA. The lodge can be renovated into an independent facility to provide for the aging population that would prefer to live in Oak Bay.

[Coreyburger]

All of the independent living facilities have empty spaces because of the turnover as the elderly pass on. You hear them advertising all the time.

Oak Bay Lodge does not have to be run by VIHA. The lodge can be renovated into an independent facility to provide for the aging population that would prefer to live in Oak Bay.

You could, but you still have the issue that it is an old building that needs work, and I really don't know how much independent living we actually need. Both Shannon Oaks and Carelton House have empty space right now.

[Bingo]

You could, but you still have the issue that it is an old building that needs work, and I really don't know how much independent living we actually need. Both Shannon Oaks and Carelton House have empty space right now.

I'm sure there are local companys that would jump at the chance to renovate the concrete building. Good grief we do it all the time with buildings older than Oak Bay Lodge.

You missed my point about about buildings having space, as they constantly have a turnover. Nobody lives forever. We need to plan now for the aging population that will soon be looking for independent living space.

[Coreyburger]

I'm sure there are local companys that would jump at the chance to renovate the concrete building. Good grief we do it all the time with buildings older than Oak Bay Lodge.

You missed my point about about buildings having space, as they constantly have a turnover. Nobody lives forever. We need to plan now for the aging population that will soon be looking for independent living space.

The land is zoned institutional, so it can only be a care home or something similar. I seriously doubt that the current council is any more likely to rezone than the last one was(n't).

[Bingo]

The land is zoned institutional, so it can only be a care home or something similar. I seriously doubt that the current council is any more likely to rezone than the last one was(n't).

The council might be more likely to rezone the land for independent living for seniors, than for the increase in height to six stories. Would this not be a care home similar to Carlton House or Shannon Oaks?

[Coreyburger]

The council might be more likely to rezone the land for independent living for seniors, than for the increase in height to six stories. Would this not be a care home similar to Carlton House or Shannon Oaks?

The zoning already allows it. But if Baptist Housing couldn't get 6 stories, I seriously doubt anybody else could at this point. Further, the existing building is legal non-conforming already. As for Carelton House, it is 5 stories, as is Shannon Oaks. Carelton House also steps down to three stories on Chaucer Street.

[Mike K.]

Speaking of a possible location for such a facility now that OB council poo poo'd the proposal, what are the plans for that massive field on Carey Rd. north of Uptown? Wasn't VIHA or another public body looking at building seniors residences/extended care facilities there?