Residents split on Bowker proposal
Some argue 43-unit development is too big for Cadboro Bay Road, others say it will revitalize area
Oak Bay residents are divided on whether a four-storey, 43-unit development is right for a triangular parcel of land at Cadboro Bay Road and Bowker Avenue.
On March 20, some residents told councillors the mixed-use, 73,790-square-foot building is too big for the space, given its minimal setback from the road and the fact that it will take up 88 per cent of the property.
Nancy Barr said the development is too imposing for the street. “I don’t understand why council is letting a developer tell them what’s needed,” she said.
Dylan Dawson lives on Bowker Avenue and will be in the shadow of the proposed development. Dawson, who has two daughters, said he’s concerned about the number of residents who will be looking down on his yard and into his windows.
Other residents, however, welcomed a new community hub that would bring a village feel found in other areas, such as the 22-unit Village Walk development at the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Foul Bay Road.
Colin Brown, who lives a kilometre from the site, said the development fits well in Oak Bay and will provide housing for those who want to be able to live in the area without having to buy a single-family home.
“I don’t look at this as imposing at all,” Brown said. “I look at it as a beautiful and unique building.”
Oak Bay resident Rick Gonder also said he supports the development, as it will give people options to downsize and stay in the community. “I believe it will revitalize the Cadboro Bay and Bowker area and will bring some much needed services to that corner,” said Gonder.
The developers are asking Oak Bay council to rezone the land for comprehensive-development use to allow for the increased density.
The development will replace a onestorey commercial building and four homes on a property zoned for multi-family use.
Abstract Developments is proposing 43 condominiums, including two live-work units. Condo sizes would range from a onebedroom plus a den at 700 square feet, up to a two-bedroom with a den at 1,300 square feet.
The building would include 7,700 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, which would accommodate six businesses, including a restaurant or café fronting onto Cadboro Bay Road.
There would also be a landscaped plaza or patio open to the public.
The project would include 59 underground parking spots accessible from Bowker Avenue, bike storage and two electric bikes available to residents.
Abstract has agreed to pay $100,000 for improvements to the intersection to address safety concerns about increased traffic.
The developer is also planning upgrades along Cadboro Bay Road, such as widening the sidewalk for pedestrian traffic and recessing of street parking to allow a potential bike lane.
Residents had previously raised concerns about the nearby Cadboro Bay Road crosswalk being dangerous because of a curve in the road.
The building would have no rental restrictions and a covenant to ensure a restaurant or café goes into the main commercial space.
Council will vote on the rezoning after a public hearing. A date for the public hearing has not yet been set.