10 replies to this topic

[Bingo]

Kings Pond Park Expansion Posted: May 9, 2014

INFORMATION NOTICE KINGS POND PARK TO BE EXPANDED

 

The District of Saanich and Cheenaht Holdings have entered into an agreement to secure close to 60% of the property at 3745 Ascot Drive for the expansion of Kings Pond Park.  Under the original development proposal Saanich would have acquired approximately11% of the land, however, a large portion of the Floodplain and the Streamside Protection Enhancement Area would have remained in private ownership.  By purchasing over one-half of the property, the Municipality will be able to preserve the wetland and surrounding eco-system for future generations.  Cheenaht Holdings has revised its subdivision proposal to three residential properties fronting Ascot Drive.

 

The $690,000 acquisition by Saanich will be funded through the Sub-Regional Parks and Land Sales Reserve Funds.  In order to complete Kings Pond Park, one land acquisition remains at Queensbury Avenue and Ascot Drive, just north of Kings Pond in Cedar Hill Park.  This property has long been identified for park purchase in the Quadra Local Area Plan and Saanich will continue to pursue this final “piece of the puzzle”.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.saanich.c...kexpansion.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1360 Queensbury - Private Property

 

Park chip trail

 

 

[Dimitrios]

Yeah, the activists worked hard on this one. I think the final compromise is pretty reasonable, though I wasn't that opposed to the original proposal (most of the properties on Ascot are subdivided from original 1 acre parcels; split into 3 or 4 lots; the original proposal was for 5 houses).

I wonder how the owner of 1360 Queensbury feels about the city salivating so openly about his land.

Anyway, I live pretty close to there, and am very familiar with the neighborhood.

[Bingo]

Out of bounds...Cedar Hill Golf Course

[Nparker]

Someone might want to check out the integrity of that roof. Are there asphalt shingles under all that organic matter?

[Bingo]

Someone might want to check out the integrity of that roof. Are there asphalt shingles under all that organic matter?

 

Probably more golf balls.

[Victoria Watcher]

They sit on massive parcels of land, and housing advocates say the time has passed for golf courses in dense urban areas.

 

“I just don’t think that golf courses belong in urban settings,” says Luke Mari of Aryze Developments.

 

With the region’s housing crisis deepening, Mari uses Cedar Hill Golf Course in Saanich as an example of 130 acres better suited to the needs of the greater public.

“You could house 10 thousand people using five per cent of the land,” says Mari.

 

He’s quick to point out that this should not be undertaken by private developers. “Such a unique opportunity as this is a chance for government to provide non-market affordable housing.”

 

Mari uses Cedar Hill as an example because it’s owned by the District.

 

Raj Sahota is a lawyer and developer, as well as the chair of the development committee for Pacifica Housing. He thinks that golf courses belong outside of city settings.

 

 

 

https://www.cheknews...crisis-1171658/

“These are essentially dead zones for much of the year and for much of the population and it’s only a small privileged few who benefit from this,” he says.

[Nparker]

If largely underused land is better developed as housing, perhaps we should start with the Legislative Buildings on Belleville.

[spanky123]

He’s quick to point out that this should not be undertaken by private developers. “Such a unique opportunity as this is a chance for government to provide non-market affordable housing.”

 

 

No the government should assume all of the risk and just pay private developers to do the work!

[Nparker]

No the government should assume all of the risk and just pay private developers to do the work!

And you can almost guarantee which private developer would be awarded the contract.

[aastra]

 

“Such a unique opportunity as this is a chance for government to provide non-market affordable housing.”

 

Pay no attention to the unique opportunities represented by all of the other government-owned properties that aren't contributing squat to the "housing crisis". Parking lots, Esquimalt lands, etc. No, we should be targeting the unique urban green spaces and recreational spaces, and especially the ones that still contain traces of the garry oak ecosystem, etc.

 

Memorial arena parking lot? Ignore it. Legislature parking lot? Ignore it. Wharf Street parking lot? Ignore it. Uplands school field? Ignore it. All easy and obvious options should be ignored, because what the housing crisis really needs is more controversy. Gotta stir things up.

[Nparker]

Socialists can't help but ignite class warfare.