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Friday,
April 16, 2010
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Six units?
No, goal of downtown seniors residence building is
40 to 60
Mark Nielsen Citizen staff
Developers of the Commonwealth Health Centre say they want to meet and beat the city’s requirement for six townhouses and instead are aiming for a 40- to 60-unit residential and retail complex on the Sixth Avenue and Quebec Street downtown property.
The project has reached the point where local designer Paul Zanette has produced an artist’s rendition that has caught CHC principal Dan McLaren’s eye.
“It’s a very impressive building,” McLaren said.
Dubbed Commonwealth Gardens, it would sit on the northeast corner of the same lot at Sixth and Quebec where the former Chances Good Time Gaming Centre is being renovated into a health centre. It’s aimed at seniors looking to own a 700- to 800-square-foot condominium.
The bottom two floors would be for seniors-oriented retail.
“That could be We Care or Meals on Wheels or an elder college from a post-secondary institution,” said McLaren.
The four floors above would each hold 10 one- and two-bedroom units that McLaren said would sell for $200,000 to $300,000 each.
To win city council’s permission to build the gaming centre, operator John Major agreed to a covenant to also build six town-houses on the site. When McLaren and his partners bought the property, they also took over responsibility for getting the townhouses built.
If constructed, it could also turn out to be the first six-storey
An artist's rendering of a proposed seniors residence building for downtown Prince George, located at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Quebec Street. See related photo on page 3.
wood-frame building in the city and possibly B.C. after the provincial government changed the Building Code this year to raise the maximum allowed height from four storeys.
There is a catch. Key to making the project viable, said McLaren, is to secure a 30-year abatement from city property taxes for improvements to the property.
The city’s bylaw allows council to grant five-year abatements with an option to renew for another five years, but a full 30-year abatement would require special permission from the provincial government. McLaren said he’s received indication from Victoria that it’s possible, but would also require the city’s OK.
The project deserves the special
treatment in McLaren’s opinion, because it will be among the first to bring residential living to the downtown.
“If you want developments like this, especially on a first-in initiative, the first couple of projects moving forward should perhaps enjoy a greater level of tax abatement,” he said. “The tax abatement, by the way, doesn’t go to me as the developer, it goes to the senior citizens that are going to live there.”
McLaren said he “doesn’t really want to pick a fight” with the city, but expressed frustration with the time it’s taken to get an answer, noting the effort to get the abatement began nearly a year ago.
Mayor Dan Rogers said the city’s
existing bylaw is currently under review and is expecting the results will be brought to city council in the next month or so.
“We’ve hired some consultants who have some great expertise in this area,” he said. “They are reviewing our existing bylaw, whether we’re using all the tools in the toolbox so to speak, and then also look at whether the business case is there to ask for change in legislation.”
Rogers said he’s not in favour of asking Victoria to give particular projects a special break in the meantime, but added that even if the city took that route, the process would take about a year because it would require provincial legislation to be passed.
Ludwig: police were warned there would be more blasts
Rodney Venis Citizen staff
The letter received by the Dawson Creek Daily News,The Citizen's sister newspaper, on Wednesday.
Wiebo Ludwig warned the RCMP’s national security team there would be more bombings of oil and gas facilities in the Dawson Creek area, the eco-activist said Thursday.
Ludwig was commenting on the emergence of a fourth letter similar to ones sent to northeastern B.C. media outlets that threatened action against the energy firm EnCana. The letters came amidst a string of
bombings in 2008 and 2009 that targeted EnCana wellheads and pipelines. A sixth bombing occured last July and a second letter, suggesting a three-month grace period, followed shortly after (a third letter, from “La Secund Brigada” was dismissed by police as a hoax).
Ludwig, who spent 18 months in jail for a violent campaign against oil and gas interests in the area, was arrested last January in connection with the blasts but was released without charge. His Trickle Creek farm, a commune where he
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lives with 50 others, was searched over a four-day period by police. The eco-activist was referred to by name in the fourth letter, which was received by the Citizen’s sister paper the Dawson Creek Daily News, on Wednesday.
“Neither the industry nor the police listened,” said Ludwig. “The industry just went right on trucking, police went right on bothering people. I was afraid that this would start to pick up again and it seems like it has.”
— Turn to ‘SOURon page 3
1B.C. Book Prize finalists are coming to Books & Co., Thursday at 7 p.m. for a signing. The four finalists are Kristin Butcher, Return to Bone Tree Hill, shortlisted for the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize, Michael Turner, 8 x 10, shortlisted for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, Kari-Lynn Winters, On My Walk, shortlisted for the Christie Harris Illustrated Fiction Prize and Cathleen With, Having Faith in the Polar Girls’ Prison, shortlisted for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. B.C. book lovers are invited to meet these award-nominated authors and purchase signed books at Books & Co., 1685 3rd Avenue.
2 Gambol Everything For Love is an original play presented through Saturday at the Prince George Playhouse at 8 p.m. The play celebrates many perspectives on what it means to loved, respected, while considering the beliefs of others on the human scale. Tickets are $17 for adults, $14 for students and seniors. Tickets available at Studio 2880, Books and Co., and at the door.
3 Tonight, Cafe Voltaire is hosting Brent Morton and Drum & Beil Tower at 8 p.m. Hailing from Williams Lake, Morton makes music in the tradition of David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Sigur Ross, with an ethereal folk sound that is completely original. Check out some samples at www.my-space.com/drumandbelltower. There’s never a cover charge.
4 The Joe Trio will perform at Vanier Hall Saturday night at 7:30, presented by the Prince George Symphony Orchestra. The Vancouver-based group will offer an entertaining evening of symphonic, pop, jazz and rock music. Visit www.pgso.com for more information. Tickets are available at Studio 2880 or by calling 250-563-2880.
5 Kids Good as New Sale will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The College Heights Community Association will hold this annual event where quality pre-owned goodies will be sold at 6500 Southridge Avenue, across from Walmart.
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