The District of Lantzville suddenly has a lot more parkland.
Storm Mountain-Lone Tree Properties, the developers of a major residential project in Lantzville, have officially transferred 296 hectares of parkland to the District of Lantzville.
The new parkland, located in upper Lantzville, represents 11 per cent of Lantzville’s entire land base and is valued at $4.4 million according to the district.
Storm Mountain-Lone Tree Properties are the developers behind the Foothills, a 744-hectare multi-phased residential project that will see roughly 730 homes and a mixed-use village constructed in upper Lantzville over a 10-year period. The company also agreed to donating 364 hectares of parkland to the district as part of condition of a development agreement between the Storm Mountain and the Foothills.
Ronald Campbell, the district’s chief administrative officer, said the land transfer is great news for the community and the region.
“For a community the size of the District of Lantzville it is an incredible opportunity for maintaining green space,” he said. “Having this kind of area available for the community and the region is definitely incredible.”
Here's a map of the donated parkland. @DOLantzville says the 296 hectares represents 11 per cent of Lantzville's total land base. Also, they mention (for comparison purposes) that Stanley Park is 405 hectares. pic.twitter.com/9KXrS6HT8S
— Nicholas M Pescod (@npescod) January 9, 2019
What Lantzville elects to do with the newly acquired parkland is something that district staff, councillors as well as parks and recreation committee members will need to figure out, according to Campbell.
“That’s a discussion that they will obviously have to have down the road. How is it going to be managed, what kind of park it is going to be, where is the funding going to come from if there are going to be trails that we manage?” Campbell said. “They will have to have that full discussion.”
The transfer of 296 hectares of parkland was a condition of Phase 1 of the Foothills development according to Campbell, who said developers will be donating the remaining 68 hectares parkland once future phases of the project begin.
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nicholas.pescod@nanaimobulletin.com Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram
