Speculation on the new tenant for a proposed big box store became official Tuesday with a joint press release from Wesbild and Wal-Mart Canada, confirming the retail giant is indeed proceeding to develop an 115,867 sq. ft. retail space adjacent to Gibsons Park Plaza, scheduled for completion in 2008.
Wesbild presented an application last November to the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) to approve a building development.
According to Wal-Mart in an amended press release sent Thursday morning, the five single-storey buildings on the site will total around 156,867 sq. ft. Wal-Mart would occupy approximately 116,000 sq. ft. with other retailers occupying the remaining space.
Presently no other confirmed tenants have been announced.
"The Sunshine Coast is one of the most vibrant, beautiful and rapidly growing communities in Canada," said Tom Sroufe, Wesbild's senior vice-president in a press release. "Wesbild has a proven record of committing to the communities in which we work and to the environment. We take our responsibilities very seriously and intend to be committed for the long term to the Sunshine Coast."
Concerns have been circulating throughout the community for weeks about the negative impact Wal-Mart might have on the community. According to the press release, Wal-Mart's director of corporate affairs Kevin Groh said "that is not unusual."
"It's not uncommon for people to raise questions and concerns about the impact that Wal-Mart would have on the community," Groh said in the press release. "There are many growing positive impacts that occur when Wal-Mart joins a community, and people are focusing less and less on the negative myths surrounding Wal-Mart."
At last Thursday's SCRD board meeting, directors moved two bylaws to second reading, limiting retail space to a maximum of 25,000 sq. ft. In addition to those bylaws, a third bylaw for Roberts Creek pushed the limitation further to a maximum of 11,000 sq. ft.
"This is the first step in a long process," said Roberts Creek director Donna Shugar. Wesbild and Wal-Mart both believe that their application will not be affected by the recent proposed bylaw changes.
"We are aware of the rezoning bylaws, but since this is an existing application, we fully expect this to move forward as planned," said Groh, a sentiment echoed by Wesbild's community relations representative Jennifer Derbyshire.
"It is our understanding that the bylaw will not affect our application on the Sunshine Coast," said Derbyshire.Some Coast residents don't share that optimism. "It's going to turn into a legal battle," said Dale Peterson, spokesperson for the Sunshine Coast Citizens Concerned with Responsible Development (SCCCRD). "They [Wal-Mart] believe they had their application before the SCRD's rezoning bylaw, but the SCRD are claiming the opposite."
According to SCRD chief administrative officer John France, there are certain factors that the applicant will need to take into account with regards to form and character.
"As far as the SCRD is concerned, we believe that the bylaws are in order with the official community plan (OCP)," France said.
France added that the SCRD is still in the development permit stage and certain criteria will need to be met, should the development proceed.
The SCCCRD have been the front-runner in the anti-urban sprawl issue, campaigning throughout the Coast, with a series of rallies, public awareness forums, and circulating petitions.
"This is what we have been fighting against, and will continue to," Peterson said. "The addition of a Wal-Mart will negatively impact the lifestyle of the Coast. The goal is to educate as many people as we can on urban sprawl issues facing the Sunshine Coast."
According to Wal-Mart, the company, in addition to Wesbild and the developer, complied research on the Sunshine Coast and concluded that the information received "reflected positively on the addition of a Wal-Mart in the community."
"Results from conversations the developer had with locals in the community reflected a positive reaction. People are keen to have a Wal-Mart in the community," Groh said.
Peterson said he disagrees with that research. "If I've talked to 700 people, 695 are against Wal-Mart coming to the community," he said.
