New vision for Nigel Valley

It’s not often that municipalities have a chance to, in effect, clean the slate and rebuild an established neighbourhood. Saanich has such a rare opportunity in the Nigel Valley.

Saanich residents will be able to give their thoughts on a proposed redevelopment at a public hearing this fall.

The Nigel Valley is nine acres, tucked along the north edge of Vernon Avenue, just east of the Saanich municipal hall.

The area has 186 housing units, and the $250-million plan is to increase that to 796, with a mixture of market, affordable and supportive housing.

To make it happen, the agencies that own some of the buildings agreed to the unusual step of moving their property boundaries around to make things work. The Broadmead Care Society, Island Community Mental Health, Garth Homer Society, Greater Victoria Housing Society and B.C. Housing have different kinds of housing in the area already.

B.C. Housing plans to sell two lots — one for a building of up to 16 storeys and the other for five storeys.

The design is for more than buildings, however. The site has a lot of blacktop and concrete, so architect Franc D’Ambrosio envisions making it much greener, by restoring some areas and adding more trees and other plants.

If the project goes ahead, it will create a mixed neighbourhood that could be an example to others in Greater Victoria.