50 replies to this topic

[victorian fan]

Saanich councillors are considering one of the largest development proposals in the municipality's history: a $100-million project for seniors care.

http://www.timescolo...5619/story.html

[D.L.]

This is for the vacant land at the south end of Carey Road


[link]

Site plan: http://www.crd.bc.ca...9 24x36 (2).pdf

[VicDuck]

Will the park space be open to the Public?

[amor de cosmos]

here's a more in-depth article
http://www.vancouver...6684/story.html

the rendering of the project isn't on the website. it doesn't look like this though. i wonder if anyone thought of it:

[Kikadee]

If the park space is open to the public, I would very much like to see this development take place. I sympathize with the neighbourhood association, and their plea for a park within walking distance, but (correct me if I'm wrong) I don't think that piece of land has a playground or anything really appealing to children in it. I never see anyone on the grounds when I'm driving down Carey, just a vast, empty field of parched grass.

I think a multi-use development like this, in tandem with Uptown and the Tillicum Mall developments nearby, is going to revitalize that part of Saanich. If it provides housing for the homeless camping around Swan Lake and along that stretch of the Galloping Goose every night, even better. The neighbourhood association that objects might consider whether there's not a silver lining in turning that into liveable space; surely additional residents signify additional amenities ... i.e., a better park for the kiddies.

[VicDuck]

That's strange because i see people walking their dogs there all the time.

[Kikadee]

That's strange because i see people walking their dogs there all the time.

Guess I drive by at the wrong moments...! Should be keeping my eyes on the road anyways

Is there any responsibility by the municipality, developers, neighbourhood association, whoever, to put together an assessment of public use? For example, if the neighbourhood association surveyed how many people are out there, how they use the area, frequency of use, etc. does that sort of information ever come into play when choosing to include/designate public park-space onto a development site like this?

[VicHockeyFan]

If the park space is open to the public, I would very much like to see this development take place. I sympathize with the neighbourhood association, and their plea for a park within walking distance, but (correct me if I'm wrong) I don't think that piece of land has a playground or anything really appealing to children in it. I never see anyone on the grounds when I'm driving down Carey, just a vast, empty field of parched grass.

If I'm not mistaken, I can make out faint markings of near-past life of both a baseball diamond and a soccer pitch.

[victorian fan]

Any seniors care facility gets my support.

[D.L.]

The site plan shows an area for a public park with a ball court and play ground - http://www.crd.bc.ca...9 24x36 (2).pdf

More information on the project from the CRD here - http://www.crd.bc.ca/hfp/mountview/

[Bob Fugger]

If the park space is open to the public, I would very much like to see this development take place. I sympathize with the neighbourhood association, and their plea for a park within walking distance, but (correct me if I'm wrong) I don't think that piece of land has a playground or anything really appealing to children in it. I never see anyone on the grounds when I'm driving down Carey, just a vast, empty field of parched grass.

The president or a representative of the residents' association was on CBC Radio the other morning, essentially crying out that nothing short of the entire area being made into a park would suffice. I understand that the developer was willing to set aside 1/6 of the project for a child-friendly public green space. But apparently that wasn't enough to satisfy the interviewee.

Apparently, the entire neighbourhood uses all of it as a green space, for things like dog walking and kids playing hide and seek there. Seriously!?! Talk about NIMBY histrionics: how does one play hide and seek in an empty lot!?

The empty lot is a blight and I for one am glad that something useful (like a seniors' care facility) is going in there.

[Ms. B. Havin]

... playing hide and seek there. Seriously!?! Talk about NIMBY histrionics: how does one play hide and seek in an empty lot!?

They've all been schooled by Monty Python's How not to be seen... ;-)

[G-Man]

I have yet to see anyone in that lot so perhaps they have taken the skit to heart.

[G-Man]

A drive today showed that people are still doing an excellent job of not being seen.

[amor de cosmos]

Park key to Saanich development

Green space vital in tight urban confines

By Kim Westad, Times Colonist
September 13, 2009

Whether one of the largest developments in Saanich's history goes ahead may depend on the size of a park, showing the importance of green space in land-strapped urban areas.

The $100-million Mount View Heights proposal is a mix of seniors housing, supportive housing for the homeless and affordable family townhouses on a 3.3-hectare chunk of land on Carey Road near Vernon Avenue. It also calls for 11 per cent of the land to be sold at market value for commercial or apartment use to offset the cost of the project.

[...]

http://www.timescolo...9427/story.html

[Bob Fugger]

^^Am I missing something? Why is VANOC involved with this project?

[Holden West]

^Because of the Olympic sports associated with the project: skating around the issue, the downhill negotiation, tough sledding, etc.

Sorry, couldn't resist...

[victorian fan]

Saanich council sends $100-million Mount View project to public hearing
$100-million development takes step forward, despite park-land controversy

A controversial $100-million development on the former Mount View High School site in Saanich will go to public hearing next month.

Saanich council voted in favour late Monday night of moving the project a step closer to approval, despite hearing from more than a dozen residents opposed to part of the public land being sold to the private sector to finance development costs.

[...]

http://www.timescolo...4097/story.html

[Caramia]

Ironically, if they were willing to build higher, they might have more of that park space they need. Seems to me to be an either/or trade off.

[Kikadee]

^
I agree, Caramia. There could be a really excellent park and playground on the site, even something with a water-feature (a la Beckwith), so the neighbourhood kiddies, grandchildren and children of the people in assisted living, and even families whose main intent is to visit the new Uptown shopping centre, have a place for leisure, a stroll, some people watching .... just add some more height. Is 14 or 15 stories really so awful?