Construction is due to begin in the fall on a revamp of an area in Qualicum Beach designed to attract more tourists and tech companies to the area. (Town of Qualicum Beach)

By Alex Rawnsley

EAST VILLAGE

‘A new face, a new evolution:’ Qualicum Beach East Village refit receives funding boost

May 30, 2020 | 7:31 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — The long sought-after rebuild of a run-down part of Qualicum Beach is another step closer to reality.

The Island Coastal Economic Trust committed $250,000 in funding for the project on Friday, May 29. The money will be used primarily for beautification and finishing touches once construction is complete.

Luke Sales, director of planning for Qualicum Beach, told NanaimoNewsNOW the project was in the works for a few years and they hope to see shovels in the ground by the fall.

“It’s a new face, a new evolution. It’s not replacing any of the area uptown, it’s intended to compliment it. You can walk down from the uptown area, down onto Second Ave. and enter a new streetscape that has a slightly different urban feel to it.”

The planned layout for the new East Village, located along Second Ave. and Berwick Rd. in Qualicum Beach. (Town of Qualicum Beach)

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Already committed is a brewery, while other restaurants and retail will round out the area.

Before construction can begin, the Town must arrange sufficient funding. Sales said a bulk of the project will be paid for by businesses in the surrounding streets through a local area service fund.

Combined with other funding sources and the money from the economic trust, Sales said the $2 million project will be paid for without any assistance from taxpayers.

“The idea is to transform the street and some of the adjacent parcels into a distinct and vibrant area catering to technology, business and tourism,” Sales said. “It’s a redevelopment of an old area that’s essentially been derelict and underused for many years.”

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley