A new life for Dallas Creek, a new park in Moody Centre and new affordable homes for up to nine people with challenges are all part of a development being proposed for St. George Street.
The project, to be built on three parcels of land between Buller and Williams streets by developer Marcon Developments Ltd., will be comprised of 179 units — 102 of them one-bedroom — in two six-storey condo buildings and a three-storey townhouse complex with 73 units.
Six of the units in the condo buildings will be affordable housing for clients of Kinsight, a community organization that provides support to families of children and youth at risk, or who are experiencing developmental delay or disability, as well as to adults with a developmental disability. Those units will be able to house up to nine individuals.
Marcon has also committed to daylighting the Dallas Creek watershed, creating a natural habitat around the stream that includes planting 187 new trees as well as a new 3,360 sq. m public park that includes a greenway trail and an open play area.
“This is something we’ve talked about as a council for years,” Coun. Diana Dilworth said of the proposed amenities as Tuesday’s council meeting considered a rezoning application for the project.
She also praised the developer’s collaboration with Kinsight, which currently owns a house with three affordable housing units on the site to be redeveloped. But according to a report presented to council, the house is “aging” and “in need of extensive repair and does not meet Kinsight’s goal of providing housing for people with physical disabilities.”
“That was a huge win for me in this proposal,” Dilworth said.
Coun. Barbara Junker said the mix of condos and townhouses provides plenty of needed housing options for young families as well as downsizers.
“In this case, I think Port Moody gains more,” she said.
Mayor Mike Clay said the project could be a boon for the neighbourhood.
“To end up with this result in the heart of your city is pretty unusual,” he said.
The rezoning application, as well as an amendment to the city’s official community plan to allow the development to proceed will go to a public hearing on Oct. 24.
