The City of North Vancouver has issued development permits to both Darwin Properties and Sunrise Senior Living for Phase 1 of the Harry Jerome Neighbourhood Lands redevelopment.
Construction is expected to begin on the residential rental building in early 2021 and on the seniors’ assisted living building later that year.
This phase will include the construction of two new buildings on the current site of the North Vancouver Lawn Bowling Club.
The Lawn Bowling Club is relocating to a new facility currently under construction at 23rd Street and St Andrews Avenue.
Funds raised through this redevelopment will be put towards financing the construction of a new Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre.
“Council is committed to advancing the City as a people-oriented community and delivering infrastructure that supports their health and well-being,” said Mayor Linda Buchanan.
“Today’s announcement represents a significant milestone for the City and it is exciting that it brings us one step closer in the delivery of the future Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre.”
The proposed site for the new recreation centre is City-owned lands north of 23rd Street, currently home to Norseman field and the Centennial Theatre surface parking lot.
The current Harry Jerome Recreation Centre was built in 1965.
The City has completed a $50M leasehold disposition, and has entered into two pre-paid, 99-year ground leases with affiliates of Darwin Properties and Sunrise Senior Living North.
See the C.N.V.’s artist’s misconception photo rendition of the site. Look closely, there’s a statue of Harry Jerome in full stride – Too bad that could never happen at this Rec. Centre as the City is bulldozing the green space/parks space, soccer pitch and running track, and replacing it with concrete! I guess The City had to make a choice, it could either get into bed with the developer and build condo’s or properly renue the current Harry Jerome Rec. Centre complete with Norseman field running track. Seems the condo’s are going to win, and our athletes that would like to run like Harry, at the rec. centre dedicated in his name, a site that should be promoting what he was recognized around the world for, well those athletes they are just going to have to sit this one out. Perhaps they can get a gig at the new daycare, 1200 square feet and lots of squishy toys!………..Shall I go on, this whole thing is a travesty, Seniors Lawn Bowling, a century of tradition, kicked off Lonsdale, who needs those old people anyways. Six buildings, two towers, thirty stories, 800 plus living units, 2000 people,1000 cars, tall building shadowing, views ruined, traffic chaos with overloaded intersections. A 99 year lease with all monies paid up front rather than a sale done purely for the sake of sidestepping provincial law (were this site sold and not leased it would have to be tendered, something that might not favor the developer so involved!) – arm’s length, what arm’s length? And what about the over 1000 name petition of locals that were opposed to the whole plan, ignored, that’s what!……… Then there is the cost of the new centre, last estimate over $200 million, with a 50% cost over-run likely, final tally should come in at 1/3rd of a billion $- take that city taxpayer! Further on the money, in the post pandemic world, how much ‘Pool’ revenue will there be? Does the business case still work? ………… I could get into hear-say, political influencing, etc., but what’s the point, this whole project, the ‘Lease’ arrangement, the loss of park, track and field land, the towers, traffic, on and on , it’s just wrong! This project needs to be stopped, ‘The Province’ needs to get involved, an audit of ‘The City’ and the process’s that got us to this point needs to be investigated and the air cleared. …….We need to say NO! to the City and it’s plan to build condo towers on our Parks and Recreation Land, NO! to incompetent planning, NO! to run-away super-densification. Finally, lets keep all the Harry Jerome lands as they are for all in the City, lets maintain what we have with gradual refurbishment, lets save this Centre-piece of our community!…..Tony Caldwell, North Vancouver
Totally with you if anything illegal happened, or if there was anything unethical, but if not, I am fine with this development.
As a 33 year old renter, I am excited for more dense, transit compatible housing options. If it was possible to build this project on top of some people’s single-family homes I’d be more excited, but the political reality is it is hard to do that.
So while I am sad at the loss of the park, the happiness I feel about the new housing outweighs that.
I love how the City of North Vancouver is embracing densification and urbanization, unlike the DNV, where I live, whose anti-development politics is an embarrassment to the shore. Opposing development causes urban sprawl, which I hate. Density is also much more environmentally friendly in terms of energy consumption and transportation. And building more housing improves housing affordability in the long-run.
I can’t comment on the costs of the rec center though*
What a diatribe from an alternate universe.
A Council 99 years from now will applaud the decision to Lease the land.
Did you think a facility built in the 1960’s would last forever?
The article says, “The proposed site for the new recreation centre is City-owned lands north of 23rd Street, currently home to Norseman field and the Centennial Theatre surface parking lot.”
That statement conveniently ignores the fact that Norseman Field is PARK LAND. The City should have no right to deal with it except through referendum. Let’s have one!
Respectfully Mr. Clark, that the Harry Jerome Rec. Centre at 55 years is aged enough that it is due for either serious and expensive upgrades or complete structure replacement is not in dispute. What myself and many others (over 1000 names on the petition that council did not give the time of day), in the community have a problem with is the city using it’s parks and recreation land as a cash cow, disposed of for in-appropriate construction of condo’s and towers.
On financing, all municipal assets have both operating and replacement budgets, just where did the money go such that we have to sell our soul? If the District can build a large pool and rec. centre on west Queens for $69 million why can’t the City do one at the current H.J. site for say $80 – $85 million?
Further, the Cities own studies have already identified central Lonsdale as being in a parks space deficit, you as a former councilor ought to be well aware of this, so why you would champion getting rid of the H.J. site and eliminating Norseman field – a dedicated park – to be replaced with concrete. In what universe does this make sense?
As well, under provincial law, dedicated parkland to be disposed of requires elector approval and if the disposal involves any form of sub-division then all monies achieved must be set aside for acquisition of new parkland. There has been no elector approval, there is no new parkland, new track or field, the law, if it is not being broken, then it is being bent to the point of mockery. What form of government did we have in the previous council?
Finally, I suggest the citizens of North Vancouver likely care not what a council 99 years from now might think, their main concern will be sound – without prejudice or favor – present day community planning and financing. …..Tony Caldwell, North Vancouver
Respectfully Mr. Clark,
Your comments may reflect the reason why you were not re-elected.
Let’s not forget about Mayor Buchanan. After giving away all that parkland, she has the audacity to look for hundreds of millions of tax dollars to build a park above the highway next to Norseman field.
To reply to Easton Smith’s comments – the following:
City councilors – those that have accepted political donations from developers and their associates whilst voting on projects that favor said developer is unethical and puts them in a complete conflict of interest. Further, motions put forward and bylaws passed with these same conflicted politicians should be struck down as illegal, and investigated by the Ministry Responsible for Municipal affairs. Influence peddling and either apparent or perceived buying of votes should never be tolerated or accepted as how business is done at municipal halls.
Also, if you do not like the parks space, the trees, creeks and canyons that the District has to offer, then I suggest you move into a condo box in the sky – In the City. I do not mean to be rude, but we need all forms of housing – including single family homes! The principal reason that the City of North Vancouver can hyper densify is that it’s “cram-them-in” planning is completely pigging-backing off of the open spaces and life style opportunities available in the District of North Vancouver.
A well rounded community always includes enough parks and green space for it’s citizens. When adding/densifying such that the City is doing, civic planners and politicians should never offer up parks and Rec land for construction of housing, for it is as a result of added density everywhere else that this precious resource is so desperately needed and should be forever retained.
Lastly, densification does not equal or create affordability. It does not make things nicer or better, (it has it’s place and should be done in balance with all forms of housing). What is missing, and I believe what you should be advocating for is federal government funding – boots on the ground – genuine investment and construction of affordable social housing across the country.