Westhills and Glen Lake School
Posted by Steven Hurdle on September 7, 2008
At last Tuesday’s Langford Council meeting, some residents of the Glen Lake area queried the Council and developer Jim Hartshorne (who was in attendance in the audience) about parking and the Westhills development.
At the previous week’s Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Committee meeting, parking in Westhills was discussed extensively. One citizen representative on the P&Z Committee had wondered if a possible solution to their desire to have less parking was to have spaces designated as temoporary parking, to be removed at some future time when commuter rail, transit, commuter cycling, and walking had replaced a high enough percentage of car traffic. Ryan McKenzie, there to represent Westhills, indicated that the now-vacant school property represented one possible opportunity for creating parking for the development.
Developer Jim Hartshorne, who is connected to the Westhills development, was in attendance in the audience expressed a contrary view Tuesday night. Responding to questioning from Glen Lake-area resident Ian Fraser, Mr. Hartshorne indicated that they were not permitted to connect Westhills to Glen Lake Road, and that as a consequence of that it was not possible to use the site for parking.
Mr. Hartshorne additionally noted that Westhills’ creation would reduce the traffic on Glen Lake Road, and that “no one asked us to do that, but we did.” This comment appeared to incite Mr. Morrison, who had previously verbally sparred with Langford Council members and seemed to fancy himself the official heckler for the meeting.
Glen Lake Elementary School had been closed controversially earlier this year, and Ian Fraser had been involved in opposing the closure of the school, and against selling off school property generally.
– Steven Hurdle -
mike said
To think a development is going to change the transportation requirements of the average young family in order to score leed points is unrealistic at best. Face it , two working parents , with different work schedules , need 2 vehicles to go to work drop off and pickup kids from daycare etc. I cant imagine taking a bus to dropoff kids at a daycare before I had to go to work .The family’s that will be able to aford those homes will have 2 cars. Only singles or retired folks will have one or no cars. I guess thats why they are wanting smaller units ,ie:carrige homes etc in order to attract that buyer.
So is the issue parking or selling units ?
As far as the Glen Lake School property , well that still belongs to the Province , you know public lands. If sold , that’s a very expensive paring lot.
I thought Belmont High was going to be rebuilt there , has there been a change in plans. Hey who runs this show in this town anyway!