Armours Beach
The Town of Gibsons is on track to have most of the improvements at Armours Beach wrapped up in time for the start of the summer swimming season.
Director of infrastructure services Dave Newman told councillors at the May 8 committee of the whole meeting that the $186,000 project was “shaping up nicely.”
The work slated for completion in 2018 included: terracing and landscaping; washroom improvements; park furnishings; a shoreline retaining wall replacement; and improvements to the parking and “street-presence.”
Newman said the washroom building main structure is complete with just interior finishing work left to go, and on May 12 volunteers from the Gibsons Rotary Club were at Armours Beach to lay new sod.
“We’ve got the picnic tables on order and I think we’ll be in good shape to be open as planned for the beginning of June,” said Newman.
The work on the retaining wall and replacement of the wooden railing along the shore are set for September and October.
Newman told council that contractors on the site have been hearing lots of positive comments from the public about the way the work has been turning out.
Budget adoption
Councillors met in a special session May 11 to adopt the 2018 budget.
The budget includes an overall tax increase of 4.5 per cent. Water and sewer rates and parcel taxes are all set to go up by five per cent.
Major capital spending includes $1.6 million for pedestrian, cycling and other improvements on Gibsons Way, which is being funded from reserves and borrowing, and $45,000 to replace the roof on the Heritage Playhouse, which is being paid for from reserves.
New expenses on the operating side include the introduction of a curbside organics collection program, which meant $218,000 in expenses mainly to cover start-up costs. Those expenses are partially offset by $51,000 in additional fees.
Venture Way project
Council has approved a development permit to allow work to move forward on the site of the Gibsons Recycling Depot (GRD) at 1018 Venture Way.
The new owners of the lot, Shazach Holdings, want to add two buildings to the east side of the lot. GRD will continue to operate on the west side.
Director of planning Lesley-Ann Staats told council that the current zoning of the GRD lot allows for the buildings proposed by Shazach. Each building will have four industrial-use units.
Shazach also owns Lot 13, the property neighbouring 1018 Venture Way, and is awaiting zoning approval to build 42 market rental housing units, combined with commercial, light industrial, and live-work space spread over two buildings at that site.
Coun. Silas White was at the Advisory Planning Commission meeting where the project was considered and said it was well received. “The APC was quite enthusiastic about the design and really felt it was a perfect design for the industrial nature of the property.”
