By Grant Warkentin
Featured image: Boundary of the property in Willow Point near Simms Creek under consideration for a new multi-family development. From City of Campbell River
The City of Campbell River has published a brief document with the latest information about several issues that have locals buzzing on social media prior to the October 17 civic election.
Topics include plans to improve traffic flow in the growing Quinsam Heights neighbourhood; a proposal to turn a park next to Pinecrest Elementary School into a parking lot to serve an upgraded Strathcona Gardens; and a housing development proposal near Simms Creek in Willow Point.
The document also includes links to more information about each of the topics; we have included the links in the summaries below.
ERT future and Quinsam Heights Transportation Study
According to the city, findings from a comprehensive study looking at “transportation and growth infrastructure” in the Quinsam Heights region will be presented to council later this year.
A hot topic that’s arisen during development in the region has been the possibility of re-opening the ERT (Elk River Timber) road. The former logging road was closed and decommissioned by the city decades ago, but a paved portion once provided drivers an uninterrupted route between Evergreen Road and Campbellton, where 14th Avenue, Maple Street, and Homewood Road now meet.
Since decommissioning, the paved and gravel portions on either side of Evergreen have become locally-beloved cycling and walking trails, winding through a forested area parallel to Petersen and Homewood Roads, and allowing an easy connection between Campbellton and the Beaver Lodge Lands trail network.
“No decisions have been made regarding the ERT,” says the city’s new fact sheet. “Phase 2 of the study has not started and is not predetermined. If directed by council in the future, Phase 2 may evaluate several transportation network options, which could include accessing the ERT.”
More information about this topic is available on the city’s Quinsam Heights page.
Pinecrest Park or a parking lot?
Earlier this year, the Strathcona Regional District announced it had found a way to add a third arena to the upgrades planned at Strathcona Gardens without increasing the budget.
The plan was developed after feedback from ice users, including minor hockey and figure skating clubs, who weren’t thrilled with the prospect of having to travel to the Comox Valley or even Parksville-Qualicum while local arenas were under renovation.
The plan for the third arena will preserve local ice time, but will require a significant portion of the parking lot on the south side of the Gardens to be turned into a construction zone.
The city and regional district are considering turning the soccer fields at Pinecrest Park, next to Pinecrest Elementary School at the corner of Merecroft Road and Birch Streets, into a parking lot with 370 spaces and a covered walkway to serve the Gardens.
“As the design is being refined, efforts are being made to minimize impacts on existing trees and address landscaping, buffering, privacy, pedestrian safety, and traffic circulation,” says the city fact sheet. “A significant tree buffer between Pinecrest Elementary School and the proposed parking area is planned to remain.”
There will be no impacts on the elementary school’s fields.
The city is also working with the school district to see if the field south of the Robron Centre can be converted into another all-weather turf field, which would replace the soccer fields lost to the parking lot, and allow minor soccer events to take place in one location clustered around the Rotary Community field house in Robron Park.
The Strathcona Regional District’s project page for Phase 2 of the Gardens upgrades hosts regular updates, and the city has created a separate page specifically for the parking lot and soccer field plans.
Simms Creek development and parkland protections
A forested piece of property in Willow Point between South Alder Street and Galerno Road is under consideration for a new housing development by WestUrban Developments, and some are worried it will harm Simms Creek and the nearby environment.
The city’s fact sheet shows that under restrictions recently approved by the provincial government, “approximately 9 acres or 53% of the land” will be excluded from development.
“The city understands WestUrban Developments is in the process of revising their development plans and when received will consider the proposal in accordance with the city’s development permit guidelines and RM-1 zoning of the properties,” says the fact sheet.
RM-1 zoning allows for low to medium-height multi-family homes, such as townhouses and patio homes. Multi-storey apartments are covered under different zoning. The city says the property proposed for development has been zoned RM-1 since 2007 and planned for multi-family development since 1998.
The city’s interactive map of development applications contains the latest information about the status of this project, and other development applications within city boundaries.
Urban Containment Boundary proposes ‘modest’ expansion
The city’s Official Community Plan (OCP) contains something called the “Urban Containment Boundary” which helps city council and planners focus “development and city services in planned growth areas while helping protect rural and resource lands.”
The latest version of the OCP was approved earlier this year and doesn’t make any major changes to the previous incarnation of the plan. However, it does look at the possibility of “a modest expansion north of Orange Point Road” and the city’s fact sheet says “potential uses could include housing, parks, open space, or other community-serving development that reflects neighbourhood priorities and character.”
The city says any changes to the boundaries would require a public hearing, and final approval from council.
The fact sheet provides a link to the city’s information page about the OCP and urban containment boundary.
Support services relocated, provincial advocacy continues
Since the demolition of the downtown Harbourside Inn earlier this year to make way for the “Reimagine the Row” project, some have raised concerns about housing and support for people who rely on community social services in the downtown core.
The city fact sheet highlights the Homewood Supportive Housing Village, opened several years ago, which provides housing and support services for 48 residents.
However, the loss of the Harbourside affected 45 more tenants and prompted questions about where they would go.
“Every resident that required support and provided consent was offered housing should they want it – many with improved supports, accessibility, and proximity to services and family,” says the city fact sheet.
The city fact sheet also highlights a partnership it made this year with the Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope on 13th Avenue to launch a nightly dinner program, and a mobile outreach program.
The city says it also continues to advocate for “provincially-manded services such as substance use treatment beds.”
More information about the Reimagine the Row and Homewood Village projects are available on the city’s “Get Involved” page.
Data centre speculations
Despite rumours swirling this summer about data centres popping up in Campbell River, potentially at the old pulp mill site north of town, there are no plans in the works, the city says.
“The city has not received any development applications or formal proposals for a data centre,” says the fact sheet. “To date, any conversations have been preliminary inquiries regarding development processes. No formal proposals have been submitted or are currently under review.”
The city says the mill site’s zoning would permit a data centre, but any future proposal “would still require all applicable permits, reviews, and approvals.”
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