513 replies to this topic

[davidN]

The front-garage collection now has floor plans up on the site. Starting in the mid 600k for their smallest floorplan (before options of course). I still think that is pretty good value for new construction that isn't too far away from the core.

Really? I think it is very poor value given that when we looked at Royal Bay everything nice was an upgrade. They are smaller homes for the most part and finishing quality was only average. We are very cautious buyers (been looking now for close to 4 months -lol) and by the time we had finished talking to them we were adding another $35,000 in upgrades. We compared them to Westhills and a couple smaller subdivisions in the Happy Valley area and Royal Bay came in a distant 3rd for value.

[PraiseKek]

Personally I'd look at yard size above all else. Royal Bay has flat lots, easy to build on. If the lot is bigger I'd go with that depending on the house size too I guess. It's too bad this new phase of Royal Bay is so damn low end crappy. 

Edited by PraiseKek, 17 November 2017 - 11:24 PM.

[Mattjvd]

Ocean views (from the neighbirhood and parks, at least) and being a little bit closer to Victoria proper give it higher land values. I did't find Westhills felt much bigger, the footprints were about the same size, but they had finished half basements in the squarefootage count. Where as Royal Bay had unfinished basements not included in the squarefootage.

[davidN]

Each to their own I guess. I can live in a finished basement area (Westhills) so I that counts. I can't live in and in fact have to pay to finish an unfinished basement area at Royal Bay.. Also of course is location. No view to speak of at Westhills but I don't value the view at Royal Bay at all. It will disappear as more and more houses are built. Also, while the distance from Victoria is arguable the fact that Royal Bay, in no way seems like a community to me.  It just seems like a bunch of houses on a wind swept plain.

[Mattjvd]

Each to their own I guess. I can live in a finished basement area (Westhills) so I that counts. I can't live in and in fact have to pay to finish an unfinished basement area at Royal Bay.. Also of course is location. No view to speak of at Westhills but I don't value the view at Royal Bay at all. It will disappear as more and more houses are built. Also, while the distance from Victoria is arguable the fact that Royal Bay, in no way seems like a community to me. It just seems like a bunch of houses on a wind swept plain.

To each their own indeed. I don't mean to say the finished basement shouldn't be counted, just that the footprints are of similar size.

I'll agree on the lack of community at Royal Bay. I imagine that will improve as more of it is completed, but who knows.

[tjv]

Wow, those lots are small, 3500 sf.  In terms of value with todays construction and land costs its pretty good value thou

 

I looked at a lot on Bear mountain with about 250 degree ocean unobstructed ocean views a few years ago that was reasonably priced, but only passed once I realized I would have to deal with the Colwood crawl.  How long does it take to drive in from Langford, etc  to downtown during rush hour?  It has to be at least an hour?

[Mike K.]

Yeah, about an hour. But once the McKenzie interchange opens traffic will flow out of Victoria much faster.

[Jackerbie]

Royal Bay Secondary to be expanded to the tune of $25.2 million. Construction expected to be completed by 2020, will include new classrooms and a second gym.

 

http://www.iheartrad...ndary-1.3693676

[lanforod]

I really don't get the decision not to build it bigger to begin with. Its 3 years old! Weird.

[Mattjvd]

I really don't get the decision not to build it bigger to begin with. Its 3 years old! Weird.

That was bizarre. There were six portable classrooms on-site immediately after it was complete. Can the school board not predict enrollment at that far into the future?

Edited by Mattjvd, 19 March 2018 - 01:00 PM.

[Nparker]

I really don't get the decision not to build it bigger to begin with...

That was bizarre. 

I would imagine the decision was entirely based on the funding available at the time.

[Hotel Mike]

My understanding is the government had a strict rule of building for current demand, not future demand. 

[LJ]

My understanding is the government had a strict rule of building for current demand, not future demand. 

Well I can certainly understand the NDP doing this, once they bankrupt the economy demand will recede as people move out of province.

[lanforod]

Well I can certainly understand the NDP doing this, once they bankrupt the economy demand will recede as people move out of province.

 

Hard to blame the NDP for underbuilding this school, though. Fully on the BC Libs here.

[Jackerbie]

My understanding is the government had a strict rule of building for current demand, not future demand. 

 

Royal Bay was built with expansion in mind, it was always the plan to get it up to 1,200 students. You also have to remember that Royal Bay was one of three secondary schools that opened in 2015: (New) Belmont, Royal Bay, and (New) Oak Bay.

 

Sooke School District is currently shopping around for four more school sites to meet forecast demand. 

[jonny]

I really don't get the decision not to build it bigger to begin with. Its 3 years old! Weird.

 

On the flip side, imagine how dumb the school district would have looked if they built for 1,200 students only for the Royal Bay development to flounder for 25 years and for the economy to go into the toilet halting all development in the Western Communities. 

 

IIRC, the school first opened in 2015 and was under construction for two years, which means the go-no-go decision on building the new would have been in 2011 or 2012 or maybe even earlier, when the economy wasn't booming like it has been recently. 

 

Looking back, they probably made a sensible decision at the time that looks not so great in hindsight. At least the school is "scalable", so to speak - and there is plenty of land out there - so any future expansion should end up fitting in just fine. 

[Mike K.]

Both Royal Bay and the new Belmont were at capacity from day one.

[VicHockeyFan]

Royal Bay always had expansion capacity,

[tedward]

That was bizarre. There were six portable classrooms on-site immediately after it was complete. Can the school board not predict enrollment at that far into the future?

 

Nope, the BC Liberal government required that schools only be built for the current numbers.

[lehman01]

Royal Bay was built for 800 and opened the first year (September 2015) with 850. The following year (last year) we had around 1000 and added 4 portables with only 3 in use. This year we have around 1200 and added 6 more portables for a grand total of 10 which are all in use. The so called "staff room" that we lost so it could be made a classroom was designed to be a classroom from the beginning. Since we only had 850 the first year there was some lee-way on changing room's intended purposes.

The new addition will actually add a third gym but will be smaller in size and match the size of our second gym. 

Our parking is already mess and now the new addition will take up the entire back parking lot but there's been some rumors (with strong sources) that the lot beside the end of our track/ turf off Ryder Hesjedal has/ will be bought by the district and turned into a large parking lot.

 

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