Lyonel Doherty, Times Chronicle
The Station Street plaza plan in Oliver is out for the count.
On March 13 a couple of town councillors tried to revive the beleaguered $1.5 million concept, but a 3-2 vote sealed its fate.
The issue came up during a discussion on the Station Street Master Plan, which included an option to shift federal grant funding to a community pavilion instead of a plaza.
Town staff recommended that council contribute a maximum of $400,000, including funds previously spent on the plaza, and that drawings be prepared for a pavilion on the northwest corner of 6359 Station Street.
Randy Houle, Director of Development Services, said a federal grant of $600,000 was to be used for the plaza, but costs skyrocketed to $1.5 million, which put the project on hold. However, the federal government did indicate the town could use the grant money for a pavilion since it will function similarly as a plaza.
Houle said a timber-framed pavilion could be a gathering place for public markets, dances and recitals. He noted that one local contractor quoted the town $1 million to build such a structure.
The director said if the federal grant is not utilized, the town would be required to pay back the money already spent on the plaza, which is approximately $110,000. This amount could be funded from the Land Reserve or the province’s Growing Community Fund. He added the other option is to utilize $900,000 from this fund to construct the plaza instead.
Houle said the town would not have to pay back the $110,000 if they shifted the funds to the pavilion.
The pavilion’s proposed location is in close proximity to the Visitor Centre parking lot with more lighting and a higher elevation. Houle added it is anticipated that a four-storey mixed-use building will be developed across the street on previously town-owned lots.
The director did inform council that the town would have to try to negotiate its way out of a $107,000 excavation contract that it already awarded for the plaza.
Councillor Dave Mattes suggested the pavilion be located at the south end of Lion’s Park as opposed to town property. But fellow Coun. Petra Veintimilla had a totally different view, saying she wasn’t in favour of the pavilion concept, expressing her desire to see the town utilize grant money to make up the rest of the budget for the plaza. Councillor Aimee Grice echoed Veintimilla’s view, saying council initially chose the plaza option to revitalize the downtown core.
Councillor Terry Schafer said he wouldn’t want to see the pavilion in Lion’s Park but closer to the Coast Hotel to give developers a reason to relocate to Station Street.
Mayor Martin Johansen was blunt in saying that council is “past the plaza” idea because it is too much money at $1.5 million, although he “hates to walk away” from what has already been spent on the plan.
Johansen commented he wouldn’t mind a pavilion but is not convinced that the proposed location is the best spot because he doesn’t want to impact the ability to do other things in that area. He said a better use would be commercial space and housing to get more people living downtown.
But Veintimilla said council’s original plan was to support green space, so she wants to continue with the plaza idea.
“These opportunities do not come around often; we’ve already invested in the plaza, it’s kind of a gift that I believe we should take advantage of to continue a vision that we all collectively shared to revitalize Station Street.”
Mattes countered by noting revitalization means having people living in that space.
“I’m not saying there shouldn’t be green space but if you want to revitalize [Oliver] you need customers every day and that involves housing, a critical component in this area . . . and there’s no reason a pavilion can’t be part of that.”
Mattes said Oliver residents would think council was “irresponsible” if it approved the plaza plan for $1.5 million. He noted that council should walk away from what it has already spent on the plaza. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
Veintimilla agreed that housing is integral to revitalization, but argued that having green space makes it more attractive for people to develop. Besides, once you give it away, you can’t get it back, she said. She also pointed out the proposed mixed-use development across the street will contribute to revitalization.
Grice said the plaza is the “anchor” for this project, adding you can still focus on residential in the future.
But Johansen said, “there is no way I can spend a million bucks for a slab of concrete.”
Veintimilla said she has been stopped by many people expressing their disappointment that the plaza is not going forward. Mattes remarked they must be dealing with two “different” electorates since the people he spoke to said they were glad the town wasn’t spending all that money on the plaza.
Chief Administrative Officer Ed Chow said the plaza could be a good candidate for the next round of funding from the government. The town could even expand the scope of the project, he pointed out.
A motion to allocate $500,000 in funding to complete the plaza initiative and put it back to tender was defeated, with only Grice and Veintimilla supporting it.
Johansen said throwing another half a million dollars towards the plaza is just wrong fiscal management.
Mattes said he would rather spend $30,000 for a new plan, noting that grants come along every year.
Back to the pavilion, Veintimilla said she would like to speak to Oliver Parks and Recreation about it. But she made it clear that a pavilion on its own won’t do anything for the town.
Council plans to continue the discussion at its March 27 meeting.
