19 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Esquimalt is undertaking a plan for redeveloping the central business area known collectively as the Esquimalt Village. A sewage treatment facility may be included as part of this plan together with several mid-rise residential buildings.

 

[JohnN]

Esquimalt Village Project goes back a few years but with the impetus of the resource recovery from a Dockside Green style sewage plant, the EVP seems to be taking on new life. 

Victoria News story from 30 June 2014: 

Remediation plan approved for Esquimalt Village project

RITE Plan videos of recent EVP scoping workshop by Cascadia on June 21, 2014: 

 Cascadia: Esquimalt Village Living Building Challenge

 Cascadia: Creating a Living Community 

 

Township of Esquimalt website of EVP timeline.

 

A blog in 2011 by the now-Esquimalt councillor Tim Morrison saw a community split over the EVP concept as it existed then.

[JohnN]

Coming forward at Esquimalt Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday 7 July is 105 page staff report "Draft Economic Development Strategy". Lots of mention of "Esquimalt Village" interest.

http://www.esquimalt...dasMinutes.aspx

Edited by JohnN, 04 July 2014 - 04:24 PM.

[JohnN]

Mayor Desjardins: 
“I think that [Esquimalt] already has good, green values...and we’re implementing them as we can—but we want to do more and we want to do better. As an old community, you have to do what you can to build up the infrastructure, but you have to be realistic.”:

Esquimalt pegs green business, bike trail, image among top priorities.

[amor de cosmos]

As part of an ongoing renewal of Esquimalt Road, the Township has established a Revitalization Tax Exemption (RTE) Bylaw as an incentive for businesses and properties to beautify the corridor while also supporting heritage conservation.

The Bylaw was adopted at a Special Meeting of Council on Monday August 24th, 2015.

“This Bylaw is in step with our commitment to community revitalization and our strategy to enhance and beautify the Esquimalt Road corridor for business, residents and visitors.” said Mayor Barbara Desjardins. “The corridor is at the centre of our community and key to economic development and community identity.”

The Bylaw will provide property tax relief to approved properties for new construction and improvements and applies to commercial, mixed use and multi-family buildings (with four or more units). The revitalization area is defined as the area located within 150 metres of the Esquimalt Road corridor between Dominion Road and Canteen Road.

http://www.esquimalt...ws08261501.aspx

http://www.esquimalt...on_Area_Map.pdf

[Nparker]

Will the new development encompass all of the massive parking lot that currently occupies this space? I would think underground parking is a must.

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Edited by Nparker, 23 March 2016 - 08:41 PM.

[JohnN]

Mayor Desjardins invites public participation at the EVP Open House, April 14, 2016:  https://www.facebook...212073918819101

 

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[Hotel Mike]

I find it very interesting that Aragon is the same company that purchased the English Inn. They obviously have faith in a vision of a new look Esquimalt. With the new liquor store and Legion building, Esquimalt is about to undergo a major updating.

[SamCB]

Esquimalt has such good proximity to downtown. I agree these upcoming projects will make Esquimalt look a lot more appetizing to buyers.

[sdwright.vic]

Lost opportunity with email being so short...

[RFS]

I was thinking today that Esquimalt in general seems a bit under-served in terms of retail, restaurants, and other services.  There isn't any big box of any kind, and no real shopping centre to speak of.  There is also only a handful of restaurant and not even the standard stuff that every city gets like a Boston Pizza or White spot etc etc.

Driving down Esquimalt rd especially in the area around Head st by the pawn shop one gets a fairly dour impression.  However I know there are nice areas and fairly dense ones.

In the esteemed opinion of VV members is the retail landscape of Esquimalt likely to change?  What are our best guesses for the future of this muni?

[Mike K.]

Esquimalt had the original big box store in the region on Viewfield Road (a mix of SuperStore and Costco by SuperStore owner Loblaws), known then and now as Wholesale Club. It's a huge supplier of local restaurants and a popular no frills grocery store for consumers.

 

Esquimalt has lost a lot of retail over the years. There was once a bowling alley on Esquimalt at Fraser, and there was even a Boston Pizza where the bridge club is now (on the second level of the strip mall where Subway and Tim Horton's are located).

 

I guess proximity to downtown Victoria and the Westshore must have given many chains and larger retailers some pause, but things are on the mend in a big way. The new super duper liquor storey is on the way on Esquimalt at Admirals and kitty corner from it a Red Barn Market will open next year. Further east at the town centre site the municipality might finally see its first brewpub/upper scale bar/eatery open up. That whole strip between Head and Dominion desperately needs to be revitalized. The owners of those parking lots are sitting on goldmines, if you ask me. 

[VicHockeyFan]

^ Are you sure it was the 2nd level, the BP?  I had an ex that worked there, seemed to me it was main floor.  Dunno.

 

Ya, go to that Wholesale Club and you'll see lots of restaurants loading up.

 

How come I never knew until yesterday that the Wet Bay Marina RV Park is native land?  That makes sense now.

[Mike K.]

Hmm, maybe. I'll ask around.

[VicHockeyFan]

Hmm, maybe. I'll ask around.

 

She worked there well prior to the convenience store.  What's the the east of that?  In fact what's in the whole area?  Back when I was a young man it was Canadian Tire and Pharmasave.  And the place was sketchy at night.

[AllseeingEye]

Esquimalt really is on the cusp of some great things IMO; I was a Gordon Head brat born and raised and lived for years first near University Heights then later on the Saanich-Oak Bay-UVic border; after a couple of stints on the west side in Vancouver and finally getting married we had to live in "her" residence on the Esquimalt-Saanich border due to the fact she had pets plus a kid under 16 that were verboten in my Fairfield condo.

 

After living in Esquimat now for the better part of 8 years I love it. There are some great neighborhoods including Saxe Point, Rockheights, Parklands - truly one of the underrated gems in the entire CRD IMO - and the Selkirk area where we live...which is far quieter than my old Fairfield-Cook Street Village place incidentally. Fairfield Road is a major route to RJH so between police and ambulances there was a constant stream of sirens. In the Selkirk area the only thing you hear is the breeze off the Gorge. When you consider and remember as I do Esquimalt in the early-mid 70's - ugh - there is simply no comparison. 

 

Consider also when the Railyards, Dockside Green, Bayview-Roundhouse, all on its periphery, and the Town Centre in the midst of the municipality are all built out what the (positive) spillover effect will inevitably be. I know more than one realtor who believes when all things are considered - services, proximity to downtown and to major highways, shopping (we are equidistant from 3 major grocery stores all about a 3 minute drive in any direction) - that Esquimalt will only get better and better. I agree.

Edited by AllseeingEye, 25 July 2016 - 09:32 PM.

[Bingo]

Driving down Esquimalt rd especially in the area around Head st by the pawn shop one gets a fairly dour impression. 

In the esteemed opinion of VV members is the retail landscape of Esquimalt likely to change? 

 

In years past the naval base was driving the economy but that is fizzling away. The layoffs at the ship yard and the lack of confidence in getting new work has the area smelling of moth balls. 

Although I am not certain we need sewage treatment beyond what we have now, the Feds have not offered up any of their dormant property into the mix for other possible sites to build on.

So yes, a dour impression is likely to remain.

[thundergun]

If I were looking for a home in the CRD on a budget, I would be looking in Esquimalt (although not too close to the corner of Head/Esq roads). Plenty of nice streets and the houses are still at a discount because it's perceived to be less classy than other areas in the CRD, when it is really likely average in comparison.

 

With the new shops Mike mentioned moving in, we can't be far away from some nice larger residential builds coming up that could really be a game changer. I'm also hoping they capitalize on the benefits of the soon to be more functional E&N running through town and set up some coffeeshops etc. on the route.

[aastra]

The Boston Pizza was on both levels.

[Bingo]

 I'm also hoping they capitalize on the benefits of the soon to be more functional E&N running through town and set up some coffee shops etc. on the route.

 

Esquimalt stands to benefit the most from a rejuvenated E&N railway now that the streetcars have stopped running.

We need the E&N to carry sailors on leave from visiting warships into Victoria.