More anchor tenants will be coming to Tsain-Ko Village Shopping Centre in Sechelt, with the third phase of the development expected to start this fall, shíshálh Nation Chief Warren Paull has confirmed.
“We are going to fill up the entire seven-acre parcel with units,” Paull told Coast Reporter Tuesday, adding that “some of them are going to be sitting there for a little bit” because the band is in active negotiations to fill all the spaces. “We’re at the letter of intent phase but we wanted to start the paperwork … to get the construction up and going.”
He said it’s going to take between nine and 12 months to complete the first phase of the expansion, with the intent of opening next year. “If we can do it quicker, the better off we are.”
Due to non-disclosure agreements, Paull could not confirm what shops and services will form part of the project.
However, he did say that a Canada-wide name brand is “working very hard” to find a franchisee. “They’re in just about every mall across the country but not on the Coast and they’re dying to get in, but finding a franchisee is becoming a bit of a challenge for them,” he said.
The shopping mall is located on the Sunshine Coast Highway adjacent to Sechelt/shíshálh Hospital and has more than 6,038 sq. metres (65,000 sq. feet) of retail space. Phase 1 of the project included the construction of the mall’s anchor Extra Foods (rebranded as Your Independent Grocer in 2015). Phase 2 began in the early 2000s and consisted of the construction of a strip mall with stores such as Mark’s Work Wearhouse, A&W and The Source and was completed approximately eight years ago. The third phase will involve the completion of the development of the mall site.
Meanwhile, in the run-up to National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, the band is hoping to bring members up to the top of Jervis Inlet for a site tour.
“We are planning on taking the Malibu Princess up to the top of Jervis with a lot of our nation members and hopefully a few of our staff to break bread up at the top, have a look around and spend the day,” Paull said.
No other events have been planned to celebrate.
“Unfortunately we ran into some fiscal issues that negated our ability to throw a decent party, and we like to throw a decent party,” he said.
