City of Powell River Council has recommended eight properties to be forwarded to the provincial minister of housing as municipal land that could be used for housing.
At a July 13 meeting, councillors were presented with a recommendation that came from deliberations of the select standing committee on city-owned properties, which formed in April of this year.
Councillor George Doubt read a recommendation that contained the city properties the select committee had identified. These included sites at: Drake Street; Willingdon Avenue, made up of two parcels; 4720 Ewing Place, made of three parcels; 4553 Willingdon Avenue, referred to as Westview waterfront site, made up of six parcels; 7104 Barnet Street; 7025 Duncan Street; 7160 Duncan Street, a portion of which may be available to co-locate where the new proposed fire hall may be located; 5001 Joyce Avenue, a portion of which may be available to co-locate with Powell River Recreation Complex.
Doubt said this is a list requested by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) and the provincial government for potential sites that could be used to develop housing, particularly affordable housing.
“The committee has spent some time coming up with the list of city properties that the committee believes could be made available for affordable housing,” said Doubt. “It’s a good list. It doesn’t mean it is going to become an affordable housing project in the next couple of days.
“We are going to tell the province about the list and they will be looking at that with a view to think about what projects could be developed between a year and five years from today. It’s a start and provides some land under definitions and that’s good.”
Doubt said he is slightly concerned about one site that was referred to as site 18 in a staff report, which is the old wastewater treatment plant and parking lot. It totals 2.19 acres, or 0.89 hectares.
“I drove by and was taking a close look at that site, and it looks like it could really easily be developed in a way that had underground parking that would still take care of the boat trailers and the electric vehicle charging that’s in that area now,” said Doubt. “It could have a Willingdon Avenue level of commercial properties that look over Willingdon on the one side and the marina and the ocean to the other side, and a number of floors of accommodations above that.”
Councillor Trina Isakson said she and councillor Cindy Elliott had been at the UBCM housing summit that BC premier David Eby was at. Isakson said both had spoken to Lisa Helps, the housing solutions advisor for the premier, and in those conversations, it was clear this is not a commitment.
“It’s letting the province know what we have and what we are willing, potentially, to be in discussions about,” said Isakson. “They are interested in affordable housing, so this is not specifically low-income housing.”
Waterfront properties
Councillor Jim Palm said selections at the committee level were not unanimous to send all eight properties forward. He said some spoke out and suggested waterfront properties should not be part of the selection.
“At the end of the day, we have the final say on what comes back from the province as to whether we would allow anything to happen on these properties,” said Palm. “I want to assure the public of that.
“I’m a little disappointed the committee included the waterfront properties. There is tremendous wealth to be gained through lease of the two properties for the city at the old wastewater treatment site and the old Willingdon arena site. I would have sent six properties to the government.”
Mayor Ron Woznow said the city is at the early stages and it is likely there will be a provincial election before any action is taken. He said whatever the action is, it will come back to council to decide which properties it would like to proceed with.
Council unanimously carried the recommendation to submit the list of eight properties to the minister of housing.
