Mayor Andy Adams says the new city council will decide within one year what to do with the city’s valuable waterfront property along the Island Highway.
The property, a sand pit between Discovery Harbour Shopping Centre and the Quadra ferry terminal, has been a hot topic at City Hall for more than 20 years.
The land is one of three parcels that when combined make up 9.5 acres, with the other two belonging to the Campbell River Indian Band, part of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation.
While the previous council went so far as to hire consultants to host a public engagement session and prepare a report on recommendations for the property, no council has made a formal decision on how to develop the site.
During the new council’s inaugural meeting Dec.2, though, Adams said he won’t be dragging his heels on what to do with the property.
He said that turning “the albatross into a jewel” is one of his top priorities over the next four years.
“For 20 plus years it has been debated what to do with this site, we have a room full of studies, reports, charette, public hearing and workshop minutes. We don’t need another study,” Adams said. “What we need to do is put together a partnership with the Wei Wai Kum First Nation and complete a plan that ensures the public interests and amenities of the 3.5 acre site are respected and complements the vision of the band for the neighbouring six acre site.
“Together, we can make something truly spectacular.”
Adams said he plans to form a task force, with himself and Coun. Marlene Wright at the helm, that will “have a one year mandate to lay out plans for this area. This will include community engagement and participation and full and complete cooperation with our First Nation partner.”
The majority of those who participated in a charette with consulting firm Coriolis Consulting in November, 2013 would like to see the waterfront property converted into public space.
While no council has yet to make a decision on what to do with the property, the last council, earlier this year, did approve a draft of 18 guiding principles, which were recommended by Coriolis consultants. Those principles include: connecting the property to the rest of the downtown core; emphasizing pedestrian priority over vehicles; consideration of public amenity space; consideration of residential and mixed use development with significant public park space; ensuring a First Nations identity; having public views to the water, and others.
