For many, bringing 1,900 new homes to an underused plot of Vic West represents a vital housing influx that will be paired with creating a new vibrant neighbourhood where the community can come together.
Others see the current iteration as a monstrosity of towers that will overpower the neighbourhood and say the plans stray far from smaller Granville Island-like proposals pitched over the last decade and a half for the site.
That’s the split in opinion around the Roundhouse at Bayview Place proposal, based on a two-night public hearing for the project. With the opportunities to provide public input now wrapped up, councillors will reconvene on Jan. 25 to discuss the proposal’s future.
The project looks to overhaul the area bordered by Catherine, Esquimalt, Sitkum and Kimta roads – bisected by the E&N Railway – with nine towers ranging from 10 to 32 storeys. The condo-driven plans also include rental buildings, hotel space and a non-profit-operated building with 215 affordable homes.
The project would add: almost $90 million in public amenities to the site; 70,000 square feet of new retail and commercial space; a dedicated child-care centre; 400 new trees; improved parks; and serve as a hub for transit and active transportation with bike and pedestrian trails running throughout the property.
Prior to the public hearing, representatives for the project said the Roundhouse would be a complete community, with a mix of housing types that would support Victoria’s diverse resident population.
Density was one of the most contentious items among the public. Those against argued the heights and density would overwhelm the area and are beyond what’s in the city’s Official Community Plan. Absent from their opposition was recognition that the OCP, a major planning document, is being updated.
Opponents said the envisioned density would lead to issues with traffic and congestion, would stress infrastructure and, overall, would create a development that didn’t fit Victoria’s “character.”
Jonathan Tinney, one of the proposal’s representatives, said “increasing the density here is wholly within the intent of the OCP and the goals it is trying to achieve.”
Supporters called the site ideal for density as it’s under a kilometre from downtown and said it’ll create a walkable neighbourhood that’ll provide an easy link to the city’s core on foot or by bike.
“One of the the things that’s great about it is the adjacency to downtown, all of these new residents will have immediate and frequent access to downtown,” said Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Bruce Williams.
He added that the mix of green space and commercial aspects will make it a world-class destination for locals and visitors. The project promises 40 per cent of the site will be dedicated to public space, with a greenway along the E&N Railway and linkages that will connect the public space with surrounding parks.
Many of those against argued they’re supportive of housing, but said this represents the wrong kind and new homes should be built elsewhere in the city. They also chastised the project as not being affordable.
Backers of the plan pointed to Victoria being in the midst of a major housing shortage that’s excluding younger generations and families from the city – with some saying further delaying the proposal would compound those impacts. Several said they’d want to live in the harbourside location, and added the new amenities would support elderly folks and bolster Vic West as a gathering spot for tourists, youth and others.
While the plans were updated last year to reduce heights around industrial buildings that hold National Historic Site status, many opponents still said the project would overpower the heritage structures and diminish their value. Supporters pointed to how the development wants to restore those elements and the derelict area where they stand so people can appreciate the heritage site.
The applicants said a major goal of the proposal is to bring new life to the historical site and added that a new public plaza around the restored buildings will be the heart of the community. That public spot would feature shopping, dining and events, according to the plans.
“Heritage has always been at the heart of the project and through redevelopment the site’s history can be reserved, celebrated and experienced by the community,” said Jennifer Kay, a planner with the project.
READ: 1,900-unit Vic West redevelopment public hearing continuing Monday
READ: January public hearing eyed for 1,900-unit Vic West redevelopment