The District of Saanich is gathering resident input for the next stage of the Shelbourne Valley Action Plan.
The district has lined up a series of webinars, open houses and an online survey to get feedback from Saanich residents on the next steps for a stretch of land that has already undergone a significant transformation.
Online webinars (register at Saanich.ca/SVP) are set for Nov. 15 between noon and 1:30 p.m. and Nov. 19 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., while in-person open houses will be held Nov. 21 at St. Luke’s 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Rd. from 4 to 8 p.m. and at Gordon Head Recreation Centre 4100 Lambrick Way, Nov. 26 from 4 to 8 p.m.
An online survey will be available between Nov. 15 and Dec. 15 at Saanich.ca/SVP.
This year, Saanich council endorsed plans for an 11-month process to update the Shelbourne plan, originally adopted in 2017, to align with the recently adopted Official Community Plan. It will also address district priorities like densification in the district’s corridors and centres.
The 2017 plan included focusing on centres and villages, more housing options along Shelbourne Street and the most obvious change, a new design for Shelbourne Street itself.
The Shelbourne Street Improvement Project, now finishing up its $23-million second phase, started in the spring of 2020. The goal, when it’s completed in the summer of 2026, is to increase safety, improve access for pedestrians and cyclists and ensure underground utilities continue to function reliably.
The first phase of the project included protected bike lanes on Shelbourne between McKenzie Avenue and Torquay Drive, upgraded underground utility infrastructure, traffic-signal upgrades, repaving and sidewalk repairs. That work was completed in July 2022.
The second phase, to wrap up this fall, includes north and southbound protected bike lanes on Shelbourne from North Dairy Road to Pear Street, along with traffic-signal upgrades, road repaving, sidewalk widening, new crossings and underground infrastructure upgrades.
The third phase, which starts this fall, will see similar work done between Pear Street and Garnet Road.
