West Vancouver Council voted Monday, January 24th to begin a public consultation process to implement the revitalization of Ambleside Village.
Named AmblesideNow, the initiative will seek community input into future use of the District’s surplus municipal lands and the development of the 1300 Block of Marine Drive. The goal is to enliven Ambleside Village with greater commercial and residential use as well as provide additional public amenities.
The vision of AmblesideNow is to:
- revitalize Ambleside through redevelopment of the 1300 Block of Marine Drive;
- redevelop the municipally-owned lands in the 1500 Block of Fulton Avenue to provide new and needed housing stock;
- relocate the existing and inadequate police station from the 1300 Block along with Fire Hall No.1 to a new integrated Public Safety Building constructed to post-disaster standards, providing the first and only building for emergency responders in West Vancouver that can withstand an earthquake;
- revitalize Ambleside through the development and implementation of a Master Plan for the consolidation of Arts facilities in Ambleside; and generate financial returns from the overall project to pay for the Public Safety Building, with the surplus applied to the Endowment Fund or Ambleside amenities such as arts and cultural facilities or other features to be determined through the public consultation process.
- AmblesideNow will also adhere to the community’s sustainability vision. The initiative will continue the enhancement of the foreshore, embrace green architecture and technologies where possible, and reduce the community’s carbon footprint. “West Vancouver will be 100 years old in 2012,” said Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones. “As we approach our centenary, we are counting on the community’s leadership and interest in shaping our future for the next 100 years, particularly as we seek to recreate Ambleside village as the vibrant heart of our community.”
To assist Council and staff in moving AmblesideNow forward, Council intends to establish the Ambleside Revitalization Commission. The Commission will focus on the financial and business aspects of AmblesideNow and make recommendations to Council. The Commission will be comprised of leading members of the development and business community together with the Mayor, one Councillor and District staff. Mr. Joe Redmond, former President of Whistler 2020 Development Corporation and former Vice-President of UBC Properties Trust will be the Executive Director of the Ambleside Revitalization Commission. “This is an exciting project and it will be West Vancouver residents and District Council who will shape it,” said Joe Redmond. “Ambleside Now is an example of a municipality with forward thinking on how to leverage its existing assets for the good of the community.”
“This is a unique opportunity to prudently capitalize on municipal assets and meet the desires that have been expressed by the community for a revitalized Ambleside, a Public Safety Building and an enhanced cultural precinct around Ambleside Village and the beach,” said Goldsmith-Jones. “AmblesideNow, can all be realized with no burden to the taxpayer. It’s up to us.”
Community meetings will begin with an open house on February 15, 2011, 6:30 pm at the West Vancouver Community Centre at 2121 Marine Drive.
For more information: www.amblesidenow.ca
|