Kamloops councillor applauds development of downtown Crown land for housing
Upcoming demolition on the Columbia Precinct land in Kamloops has local leaders looking forward to more housing stock downtown.
What BC Housing has planned for the area isn't clear, but the Crown agency in charge of housing is looking to demolish two ageing office buildings owned by the province by September.
"It's about time," Coun. Dale Bass said of the upcoming construction.
The Columbia Precinct property is along Columbia Street beside Royal Inland Hospital, where there are office buildings and storage spaces for multiple ministries. For years the City has envisioned redevelopment in the area to bring shopping and housing to the area, connecting downtown with Peterson Creek Park.
"I'm glad that they've finally announced this to the city because it shows that this council has been pushing really hard, just like the last one did, for the things that we need the province to provide for our residents," she said.
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She said she couldn't comment on whether the City is aware of BC Housing's plans for the space after the demolition job.
Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson also deferred to BC Housing for any information on what might be in store for the area.
In an April 30 emailed statement from a BC Housing spokesperson, the Crown agency said it expects more information to be released "in the coming weeks."
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The demolition of 527 and 515 Columbia Street will "make way for future development," BC Housing said.
iNFOnews.ca reported on BC Housing's effort to find a contractor to tear down the two buildings on April 29, the same day the province announced another Kamloops property will be included within its BC Builds initiative.
Redevelopment of the former Northbridge Hotel, which the City of Kamloops bought more than two years ago, is now being overseen by the province. It's open for proposals from builders to redevelop the Tranquille Road property through BC Builds, which offers financing options and grants for private companies.
The program is meant to speed up development timelines for housing across the province in an effort to curb ever rising home costs in BC.
BC Housing did not say whether the downtown properties will also be included in the BC Builds initiative.
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