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Proposed development aims to rejuvenate key corner of Departure Bay core

May 10, 2018 | 4:26 PM

NANAIMO — There are potentially brighter days ahead for a much-maligned property in the heart of the Departure Bay village core.

Nanaimo Council approved a development permit for a new commercial and residential project to replace the old Amrikko’s building at the corner of Departure Bay Rd. and Wingrove St.

A three-storey building was proposed, with a restaurant and three other commercial units on the ground floor. Above that would be 12 multi-family rental units.

“This building is in a very, very strategic position relative to the beach, we all know that,” architect Ian Niamath said. “It’s been there for a long time and what it needs is a complete overhaul and that is what we intend to do.”

A City staff report said the project could have an impact on housing affordability issues in the area, citing the inclusion of several “micro-units” and the developer’s willingness to enter into an agreement to maintain at least 50 per cent of the units as rentals for at least 10 years.

Niamath said it’s an incredibly valuable site sitting in “the gem of our city” and “socially it makes more sense if the residential area is not devoted to privileged people. We’ve created more units so we can get more people into that area so they can enjoy that location. To me, that is valuable.”

Much of the debate about the permit application centred around a request for a parking variance. The City’s bylaw required 54 spaces but the developer asked for a reduction to 13, including one accessible space.

A pair of area residents spoke against the project, voicing concerns over a lack of parking. However, the staff report said the Departure Bay Neighbourhood Association supported the proposal, including the parking variance.

The staff report said the developer also agreed to pay for and build new pieces of sidewalk along Wingrove St. not connected to their property, both adjacent to the new development and across the street near the activity centre. This would create 13 new, publicly available on-street parking spaces on top of the 13 provided near the development, the report said.

It also referenced 76 public parking spaces available in the immediate area.

Coun. Diane Brennan said the project and the reduction in parking fits well with the neighbourhood plan.

“To dwell on the parking and use that as the reasoning behind (not supporting the project) is to betray what the neighbourhood asked for and worked so hard for,” Brennan said.

In response to concerns about an increase in traffic when the waterfront walkway is connected to downtown, Brennan said the vision is not to have people driving to Departure Bay to park and then enter the walkway.

“The waterfront walkway isn’t going to be a big draw for parkers. It’s going to be draw for walkers who will want to have something at the end of that walk, happen into a restaurant or a cafe.”

Coun. Ian Thorpe said his support of the project outweighed his concerns over parking.

“This is such an important site just begging to be redeveloped. It’s been sitting for years, becoming more and more of an eyesore,” Thorpe said. “Frankly, in this particular case, I don’t think I want to see more of that space taken up for parking.”

The lone vote against issuing the permit came from coun. Sheryl Armstrong.

“We’re already getting numerous emails on the traffic issues down there and a lack of parking. To add a business that’s going to have no parking in there, it means they’re going to take parking across the street that’s for beach access. I disagree with coun. Brennan…I believe a lot of people will be driving down there to park their cars and take advantage of the walkway.”

No construction timeline was discussed and the developer still needs to apply for and obtain a building permit.

The Amrikko’s building sat derelict since it was badly damaged in a fire in 2013. In March, neighbours presented Council with a petition demanding action to clean up the lot, calling it a “horrendous” eyesore.

At that meeting, an area resident said the permit application was a stall tactic by the developer to avoid remedial action from the City.

 

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi