GoldenKey Investments Group has purchased a 20-acre parcel of land on Fisher Road, and has begun steps toward building a water bottling facility.
The company focuses on investments, specializing in natural resources like coal, iron, gold, and spring water. The 20 acres of land will be divided up, using five acres for the bottling facility, and the remaining 15 is expected to go toward modern housing.
“We plan to use five acres of land to build a state-of-the-art water bottling facility, and to develop the rest of the 15 acres of land for modern residential buildings,” said GoldenKey Investments Group marketing manager Nik Yao.
On July 31, the company drilled a test well on the property to begin a feasibility study of the water source.
“The test well location was determined by our hydrogeological engineer and was approved by the Interior Health Authority,” Yao said. “We are expecting a comprehensive report regarding the water source and the aquifer from our hydrogeological engineer by the end of September. The report will tell us whether the water source qualifies under the provincial government’s regulations or not.”
The well drilling was authorized by the province, and no formal applications have been made to the Town of Golden for rezoning the property to allow for for the commercial business. The developer has been in discussions with Town of Golden staff, who often discuss potential developments before they happen.
“The developer was encouraged to go into the community with this proposal,” said Town of Golden CAO Jon Wilsgard.
After the hydrogeological engineering report is completed in September, GoldenKey Investments Group plans to host a community meeting to inform citizens of the proposed project.
“We plan to host a public meeting regarding the water plant after we receive the comprehensive report by our hydrogeological engineer by the end of September,” Yao said.
Already, GoldenKey has hired local contractors and service providers for the test well, and plans to use local labour in the future, Yao said. Once the facility is built, GoldenKey will hire between five and 10 employees to run the operation.
“We also want to use local contractors for the 15 acres residential development,” Yao said.
GoldenKey investments Group had been searching for a B.C. water source on a good-quality aquifer. The company already has a bottling facility in Toronto, Ont.
“We found the water we were looking for in Golden. And, by coincidence, GoldenKey shares a similar name with Golden. We fell in love with the beauty of Golden and decided [to] have a try,” Yao said. “Our intention is that the project will provide economic and social benefits to the community.”
The aquifer GoldenKey Investments Group is assessing is the same the Town of Golden pulls its municipal water source from, but further down.
“The aquifer is connected to the same aquifer we draw on, it’s at the end of it,” explained Town of Golden planner and development manager Phil Armstrong.
In order for GoldenKey Investments Group to continue moving forward with the project, the company will require provincial approval for using the water source, and Town of Golden approval for rezoning the property, and an amendment to the Town of Golden official community plan.
“Lastly, we understand that the community may have concerns regarding the water plant,” Yao said. “Our goal is to work with the community together and to be as transparent as possible along the way.”
GoldenKey Investments Group will inform the community once it is ready to host an informational session on the project, likely in September.
