Ron Brent Park Talk Set
Prince George, B.C.- Residents in the area of Ron Brent Park in the 20th and Victoria area, have been called to a meeting.
A notice has been sent to residents in the area to attend a meeting Thursday evening , Dec. 3rd at Ron Brent School.
Mayor Lyn Hall says there is a developer interested in purchasing the property to develop a seniors housing complex.
“Staff are going out to get feedback on a seniors housing complex proposal” says Mayor Lyn Hall . The project is being put forth by a private developer says the Mayor “That’s why we’re going ahead with a community meeting, to let people know what’s happening with the park area, and with that entire area that butts up against Ron Brent ( school) and the Connaught Youth Centre.”
Residents may recall the uproar that was caused earlier this year, when portions of a greenspace in College Heights were being cleared before area residents were made aware of a proposal for that area. In that case, Director of planning, Ian Wells, said there was some miscommunication, leading the developer to believe there had been some approval to carry out some geotechnical work in the greenspace. Council had not given such approval. ( see previous story)
The Ron Brent meeting is to make sure that kind of scenario isn’t repeated.
Mayor Hall says he hopes the Ron Brent community is “appreciative that there could be, potential, seniors housing there.” The Mayor says if the project moves forward, “There is still an area of the park that’s available, and that’s what the intent of the meeting is to show the folks how the complex could fit into that area.” While not at liberty to talk about the details of the proposed development, he says It has the potential to be “pretty exciting for the City.”
Having said that, Mayor Hall says he wants to make one thing clear, “This is not a done deal, I want to stress that.”
Mayor Hall says any potential sale could be subject to rezoning, and that process allows for more public input before Council makes any final decision. It is thought the rezoning process could start as early as mid December.
The City has been looking at repurposing some of its underutilized parks and selling the property for infill development. Any money from the sale of any park would be used to upgrade existing parks.
Comments
Once we loose a park we can never get it back. I would be very Leary if it was a park in my neighbourhood that was being ‘repurposed’.
Serious, a part of Ron Brent for a seniors complex. Pretty tough neighbourhood.
Don’t trust Lyn Hall. If he says it’s not a done deal, that just means he just hasn’t finalizes a catchy ‘politically correct’ new name. If Hall and Wells want it, it will go ahead no matter what the residents want.
Seems to me we already have the Gateway Seniors Assisted Living residences in this area, so this would be in addition to what’s already there.
Have not heard of any problems with this facility being located in this area, so one can assume that a Seniors complex should probably be ok.
The residents in the area have an opportunity to voice their opinion on this complex and will have opportunities to stop it, if that is what they wish.
One good thing about the location is that it is close to the Victoria Medical Centre, Hospital, and Shopping Centers, and also the park itself, so from that perspective its a good location.
Lets keep in mind that the only growing business in Prince George is Seniors.
The city owns a whole lot of vacant property downtown, within walking distance of Ron Brent. Maybe it would be better to sell off some of that? That area is pretty depressed, and losing a park will not help that. It’s also not an area that I would be comfortable placing the seniors in my life.
Hardly think that anyone at City Hall to-day would have been involved in the expropriation of land 30 years ago, nor would they necessarily know that it was expropriated. So I doubt that we can blame this Council for something that took place 30 years ago.
Perhaps slinky can give us more information as to what exactly took place 30 years ago.???
The land was part of the parcel that the city “bought” from a private PG family to build a school. The family still has a bad taste in their mouths over the forced sale. Perhaps the city will rename the park for them if this sale falls through?
But that is what you are stuck on Palopu? How many were in city hall and sitting on this council when they denied the developer from reducing park land within the PGGCC parcel to make it an economically viable project? Our city hall stinks to high heaven
I was fourteen and working at Lloyds Drive Inn and my Dad Bill Robertson was driving me home , as we passed this property on Victoria St. and 20th , he told me he used to own it but was forced to sell for $ 6000.00 or they would take it as they needed it for the school. Now if its not going to be used for the School then I think our family should be compensated at fair value.
Bitter. That’s not how the system works. I had a lot that the City wanted 30 years ago and they made me an offer, and stated that if I didn’t accept they would expropriate it. We were able to negotiate a little better price however they got the lot.
Folks, what you are seeing is the thin edge of the word. There is not one single “park” in this city, to the best of my knowledge, which is registered as such with the province. The parks are just locally designated zoning classifications on a City map and the City can do with it what they want to rezone it. There is not even a requirement to put this to a vote with a super majority voting in favour to make the change.
I saw this happen when I was a teenager and living in Ottawa. The Hull (now Gatineau) City hall changed the designation of a neighbourhood park to allow a developer to put up some high rise apartments. The developer went ahead and built them. The Quebec Municipal Board overturned the decision when the residents took it to them for an appeal. The developer had a couple of 10 story buildings with structural concrete framework up and was forced to demolish them.
We do not have a BC Municipal Board. Most other provinces have one. It is long overdue that we get one.
There are plenty of other places in PG where a developer can build a seniors housing complex. We are a large city when it comes to land. We need good infill projects, but not at the expense of losing so-called “parks”.
Tim to build a seniors complex in Fort George Park.
Nice neighborhood
Nice riverfront property
Nice walking trails
Nice flowers to look at
Great museum, could actually be built right across from it.
Once parks are up fro grabs, lets choose the best.
We already have a seniors home adjacent to Rainbow Park.
The comments ; Pretty tough neighbourhood ?? Lots of seniors live in it now. Why do you think its a tough neighbourhood? could it be because the City is sending its problems to the neighbourhood. I am worried that is what they have in mind for the park and the Seniors will not have anything to do with it. Its not a area I would be comfortable placing the Seniors in my life…Thanks a lot, lots of GOOD people live in the area so do not paint the whole area with the same brush. Neighbours we better get out to this meeting and show that we care about our area.
A park, to me, means benches, gardens, walkways and a playground. The area around the school is nothing but a field and ought to stay with the school for their outside activities. There is already a seniors residence there why build another one when all it will do is cause lack of space for the children to play. Build it somewhere else is what I say
My guess is that if the people in the area get out to this meeting and show the City that they don’t want a Seniors Residence in this area, it will not happen.
I think that the days of ramming these types of issue’s down peoples throats ended with the Green administration. If on the other hand no one attends the meetings or complains, then of course the project will go forward.
Even if a park is registered, it can still be used for roads, schools, hospital, senior housing, etc. By the way the wording of the land sale of the GTP to Prince George says that if any park land used for other use the land must be returned to the GTP.
The wording in the press release the bothers me is “…could be, potential, seniors housing there. The developer says potential seniors housing to have the park land released and then builds want he wants.
Park land should be sold for 3X’s the price of other land.
I have a great idea – take the land that was to be a hotel right beside the library, even closer to the pool, library, Parkwood, and hospital.
I think the project will go forward even if the people in the area come out to the meeting and object to any project in the space , as that is what happens in this area we get walked on. The City sends out a flyer to a few people in the area and only allows a hour for the meeting , I think that says it all. The big low Income Government owned housing on 20th has no GREEN space , I think the families in this Building should be concerned. The large vacant lot on 17th has been sold , maybe senior housing is planed there?
He says any money would be used to upgrade existing parks – but is that law, or he just says that. Because it could also go to fund a PAC. City is well aware they can’t get that one by on a referendum, so only way it can happen, is if they can pay cash, and one way to get cash, is to sell city assets.
Seniors are a business. I was just in Chilliwack in which seniors are essentially the primary industry. There’s as many pushing walkers, as walking. They have private retirement complexes spring up almost as fast as Richmond can build condos. PG might want to get in on this trend, as the billions of dollars locked away in pension plans and RSP’s are going to be spent somewhere over the next few decades.
But, like most things, they say that’s what they’re going to build, the zoning will likely allow other uses as well. Too bad you can’t just trust that your politicians don’t have some other unstated agenda.
There are zoning categories for carious types of housing. There is no categories which specifies seniors housing such as Alward Place, for instance. It is merely an apartment building with some amenities which are geared to seniors.
Seniors is only a foot in a door as far as I am concerned. It lets peoples guard to be down.
As far as the “hotel” that has not been moving now for some 2 years next to the library, I believe the City can foreclose on that property. I am not sure of what compensation they may have to pay, if any, to pick up the property as is, but a higher density residential build would fit quite well in that area. Close to Parkwood, close to the Library, pool and several other downtown amenities.
The building does not specifically have to be for seniors, but could be an “adult” community – over 55 normally. Again, not something that is typically regulated through zoning, but by the developer in promoting the rental/condo development.
Ya but seniors, that’s like mom and apple pie. Makes one all warm and fuzzy.
A well know developer in this city once said green space is wasted space.
Used to be lots of nice green along hwy 16 west now it looks like Kelowna, one big strip mall, car lot.
……..”Its not a area I would be comfortable placing the Seniors in my life…Thanks a lot, lots of GOOD people live in the area so do not paint the whole area with the same brush.”
I certainly never said, or even insinuated, that there are not any good people in the area.
What I did say is that there are lots of vacant lots not far from there, and if they want infill, it is much better to use those than a park. It would be awful to lose green space in that neighborhood, and I wouldn’t want my seniors in a place without parks.
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