One of Victoria’s oldest community gardens could be replanted in a city park to make way for new development behind the legislature.
After looking at 11 options in James Bay, city staff are recommending the community allotment garden on Michigan Street be relocated to an area of South Park on Toronto Street.
“It’s on the far side from James Bay Family School. It then can work with the school, and we’ve already done some work with the principal to see if there can be an educational component,” said Coun. Chris Coleman, the council liaison to James Bay.
“There’s a fairly good relationship to the sun. It’s unprogrammed space at the moment.”
The Michigan Street garden, which covers about 500 square metres, has been in existence since 1999. It includes a communal garden space, a cob shed and 23 allotment beds of various sizes. The city has been looking to relocate it since the province announced in January that the property had been sold.
The provincial government put 6.2 acres of property behind the legislature on the market in October 2013 as part of an effort to balance its books.
Victoria’s Jawl Development Corp. and Vancouver’s Concert Properties teamed up to buy the land and are planning to build a mixed-use project, including two energy-efficient office buildings.
The parcel, known as the South Block, is in the 500 blocks of Superior and Michigan streets. The Queen’s Printer building was not sold and will remain in place.
Five other heritage buildings on that site will be moved to a smaller lot on Kingston Street.
Office construction could start as early as spring of 2015.
Next steps in the garden relocation include:
• Consultation to ensure the proposed site is acceptable to the neighbourhood association, the public and stakeholders.
• Confirmation that the James Bay Neighbourhood Association will enter into a licence of occupation for the garden.
• Determining a budget and responsibilities for the move.
Coleman is hopeful of success.
“I think the James Bay Neighbourhood Association identified early on that the South Block proposal could be critically important if done properly, but this was one of the obstacles that needed to be addressed in advance of that,” Coleman said.
