At a special meeting of the District of Sechelt council Wednesday, July 29, council passed first reading on several motions required before renovations can begin on the future Arrowhead clubhouse.
Council passed official community plan and zoning amendment bylaws that will eventually allow the land to be changed from "downtown commercial" to "education, recreation and institution" use.
Council debated changing the lease agreement reviews from every 10 years to every five years, but Val Nash, project co-ordinator, said: "The lease is holding up the renovation work. It would be detrimental to wait until September to have the lease finalized. We are expecting it to be ready in two weeks."
Nash was concerned that by adding another request, solicitors for BC Housing and the District would have to postpone signing the lease.
"We have a building permit. It's just waiting until the lease is signed," she said.
Mayor Darren Inkster acknowledged Nash's concerns and said he too wanted to see the lease signed as soon as possible, but councillors Keith Thirkell and Ann Kershaw wanted to be able to read through the 60-year lease themselves before Inkster signed it.
"They're using the original lease that you drafted [with Sunshine Coast Community Services] as the basis," Nash said.
Nash also reminded council that having the lease between them and BC Housing adds "more financial security to the project. They're paying for support of services to the project in addition to capital costs."
Nash said a usual agreement with BC Housing would afford a contract $20,000 per unit for renovations that would have equaled $160,000 for this project. However, she said BC Housing has generously offered $579,000 towards the Dolphin Street project.
As soon as the lease is signed, Nash said renovations on the old RCMP detachment will commence.
