District of North Vancouver councillors will be debating a preliminary application for 930 market and rental apartments at 1325 East Keith Road, the existing location of the North Shore Winter Club.
The existing winter club site is 5.64 acres and located in the northwest portion of Lynn Creek Town Centre. It is bordered by Bridgman Park and Lynn Creek to the east and south, the 16-storey “Carlton at the Club” seniors’ market ownership building to the north, and by Lynnmouth Avenue and the City of North Vancouver to the west.
The project requires both a rezoning and an OCP amendment; the existing OCP designation is for commercial which limits residential uses, and the proposal is inconsistent with the existing zoning.
If approved, however, the mixed-use development will consists of two six-storey mid rise buildings, one 32-storey tower, one 29-storey tower, and one two-storey building. Also proposed is 5,000 square foot of commercial space and 1,133 parking spaces, all of which will be underground.
Out of the 930 apartments, 655 will be sold on the market and 275 units will available for market rentals, out of which 100 units could be senior-oriented rentals or market rentals. Darwin is also proposing to construct a new building for the North Shore Unitarian Church, which will relocate from Mathers Avenue in West Vancouver.
The new “North Shore Unitarian Community Centre” is envisioned to be a multi-purpose community-oriented facility and would include 250 to 300 seat assembly hall, a daycare with outdoor play area, meeting rooms, classrooms, and other spaces. A large lobby space is also planned for informal gatherings.
The development is tied to a land swap.
In fact, Darwin Properties is submitting a preliminary application on behalf of North Shore Winter Club (NSWC) to redevelop the site. The winter club tells council the club’s facilities are nearing end-of-life and would require $50 million of renovations. The club has concluded it is best to do a land swap with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Darwin Properties.
This land exchange will enable the club to relocate to 2420 Dollarton Highway, the site of the former International College Site. The proposed new facility will be 292,025 square feet space and consists of fitness and aquatics facility, indoor lane pool, leisure pool, pool deck, hot tub, and an ice sports facility.
Also planned is a racquet sport facility with 10 indoor tennis courts, four outdoor courts, a doubles squash court, a single squash court, general purpose spaces, banquet facility as well as lounge and restaurant. All of this, however, is only possible if their existing site is rezoned according to the plans put forward by Darwin Properties.
In March, the winter club president Jay Frizell appeared before council and said $50 million needed for repairs and renovations is far beyond the club’s capacity to borrow. Falling membership numbers, he said, has left the club in a tight financial situation and the Darwin land swap was the best way to ensure the club’s future.
If the council approved the Darwin application to rezone the club’s present site, another rezoning and OCP amendment will be required for the club to relocate to 2420 Dollarton location.
Staff has presented four options to council: Proceed with the application, ask the applicant to revise the plans, to defer it until an OCP review, or reject the application.
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