BC Housing is hiring a consultant to plan future development at Riverview but the head of the Crown corporation says the request for proposal (RFP) process launched in February is not jumping ahead of the public consultation process.
Shayne Ramsay confirmed that 51 applicants are interested in offering master planning consultant services for Riverview, with many attending a meeting in early March to learn more about the project.
And while that number seems high, Ramsay said it's not, although the 100-year-old former hospital and its 244 acres have generated a lot of buzz in the planning community.
"Some firms from across the country are interested in a very marquee project," Ramsay said, adding that the deadline is April 9 for proposals and BC Housing has a mid-June target date for appointing the successful firm.
DOCUMENTS ONLINE
According to documents available online, the chosen firm will be required to "develop a coherent framework plan for the entire Riverview lands by working collaboratively and iteratively with BC Housing and various stakeholders. The proponent's primary role will be to translate the development program into a compelling but practical plan and to ensure that it can and will achieve all the public goals, sustainability, quality of place, good urban form, environmentally responsible delivery of all construction works, while at the same time delivering the phasing, implementations, feasibility, financing and other development objectives."
While collaboration appears to be a key deliverable, the timing of the RFP worries some advocates.
Niall Williams, a longtime Riverview historian and blogger, told The Tri-City News he is concerned public input from the visioning process is missing from the scope of work for the RFP because the final open house with the results has not yet been held. That won't take place until May and Williams, who found the RFP documents on BC Bid, a website where B.C. public sector goods, services and construction opportunities and contract awards are published, said he alerted the media about the RFP via Twitter because of concerns the public was being kept out of the loop
"A call for the RFP at this time would tell any sane person that the public process is just a sham and the public have wasted their time and money by being involved in it," he said.
But BC Housing's Ramsay says this is not the case. The chosen firm will be working with all the stakeholders, including Coquitlam city council, Kwikwetlem First Nation and the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society, among others, as it prepares a plan.
"The results of the fourth open house will go to the city of Coquitlam for their consideration. It's the feedback from the city's stakeholders that will build on the work the land use consultant will be engaged to do," Ramsay said.
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC
With so much at stake and the clock ticking on aging buildings - some with noted historical value and needing a hefty infusion of cash to repair - the planning timeline is sensible rather than concerning, said Coquitlam Coun. Craig Hodge.
He said BC Housing is well aware of the city's position on the future use of the property, and the planning firm will likely also be informed about the public's desire the property be used for mental health and wellness services, and stay in public hands.
As the chair of the city's Riverview Lands Advisory Committee, Hodge said he is cautiously optimistic about the planning process.
"I think what they are doing now, they are doing the job interview," Hodge said, "and it would be my guess they would have the team ready to go once they have the information [visioning process feedback] for them.
"What it says to me is that the government is serious about moving forward," Hodge said. "They obviously have a time frame and they obviously want to keep it moving."
Some mental health services have already moved onto the site, and some newer buildlngs also house people with mental health concerns.
And with dozens of organizations and the city keenly interested, and even worried about the property, including the state of the buildings and outdoor maintenance, a clear vision and a timeline will diminish fears the property will be left to deteriorate, Hodge speculated.
"I know that talking to people in the community for 15 years, people have said what is the future of Riverview? What are we going to do? I think we are getting close to finding out what the provincial government is going to do.
"All we can do is participate in the process and provide as much comment as we can."
PLANNING TIMELINE
Ramsay confirmed the goal is to get a plan in place and conduct all required zoning approvals by mid-2018, earlier if possible, at least for the first phase. And he agreed with Hodge that certainty is one reason for moving ahead in a timely manner.
"Really, it's moving it in a thoughtful way in a visioning process to a place with adequate input, working with authorities and coming up with a plan for the development of the future use of our Riverview."
Ramsay, whose organization recently took over management of the site, said "asset disposal" is not the goal of Riverview's redevelopment but, rather, "complete communities." And while "breaking even" is an objective, any new public facilities "will not have to be funded under the break-even mandate."
"It's important in saying that to the stakeholders, and operating in a transparent way, we're not saying we need huge development to pay for community wishes," he said.
"Riverview has a long history, a long acceptance of those services, and a lot of those desires is to make a bigger presence of mental wellness."
Information about Renew Riverview is available here.
