In a town where housing prices have become a barrier to finding qualified trade workers, do developers have plans to build employee housing?
It was one of a number of questions posed to several representatives of companies who participated in a developers’ forum held by the Squamish Chamber of Commerce last week.
The event hosted representatives from Sea to Sky Developments, which is seeking to develop land at Bailey Street; Holborn, known locally for University Heights; Solterra, which is developing the Sea to Sky Business Park; Polygon, which is proposing the Garibaldi Springs golf course redevelopment and Symphony Resorts, which is behind the Klahanie development across from Shannon Falls.
Back to the question regarding employee housing, only one person responded — Ann Chiasson of Sea to Sky Developments.
“We have been talking to a couple of companies about micro-condos,” she said. “We could probably have a micro-condo or two up fairly quickly that would house people.”
Chiasson’s company has a purchase agreement for 28 acres of BCR land behind the Eaglewind Development and also owns land on Bailey off of Cleveland Avenue.
Over the course of the forum, she said her business has its sights set on building condos, office space and commercial space on the Bailey-Cleveland corner.
She said the connection between Bailey Street going across the railway tracks is Crown road that the company is trying to close to make way for development.
“We want a very positive impact on Squamish because we will be the first thing you see,” she said earlier in the event.
Another point of interest was what Holborn representative Phillip Scott called a “sneak preview” into a prospective development being considered by his company.
The development, Thunderbird, would span the area from Pia Road to Newport Ridge Drive.
The area encompasses an existing trail network maintained by the Squamish Trail Society and SORCA.
“We will be preserving quite a lot of that, and rehabilitating or realigning some of those trails,” he said.
Nothing has been set in stone, as a proposal has yet to be sent to the municipal council, but he said the company anticipates 35 per cent of the property would be developed.
Scott added the company hopes to leave a lot of flex spaces, which can be filled by whatever the community wants.
This could range from daycares to community theatres for live performances.
He also speculated on what could be the result of community amenity contributions from the project.
“I know a new rink is on top of everyone’s mind,” he mentioned.
“Over 25 acres of protected parkland, majestic mountain views and boundless hiking and biking trails,” reads a summary of Thunderbird Creek on Holborn’s website.
During the rest of the forum, much discussion was dedicated to ongoing projects that have already received substantial publicity.
Kevin Shoemaker of Polygon touched on its promise to gift a substantial portion of its Garibaldi Springs land to the community — 4.5 acres of parkland to the District and 81.5 acres of ecological reserve, to be exact.
Carl Funk of Solterra noted some that its proposed mixed-use housing development on Cleveland and Main will have an affordable rental component.
Paul Fenske of Symphony Developments said that the Klahanie’s proponents believe that Squamish is ready for a $400 million investment in a destination hotel development.
