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Following our Vestry meeting in February, the Property Development Committee (PDC) has been busy on several fronts. The motions passed at Vestry, on providing a healthy capital budget for 2024 and administration of project funds have paved the way for the refurbishment project to start in earnest.

In February, our Architect, Erica Wolowidnyk, submitted the preliminary application for subdivision and rezoning of the rectory lot and a portion of the parking lot to the District of North Vancouver to enable us to sell two single-family home lots, hopefully in early 2025. This process is moving slowly while the Council deliberates how it will incorporate the new Provincial legislation to allow small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) on all single-family homes within the District, which should be resolved by the Provincial deadline of 30 June 2024. We are keeping in regular contact with the Planning Department to follow this up.

We had very good news in March that the Diocesan Council has approved bridge financing of $300,000 for our refurbishment project. This, together with the Parish’s Seize the Day campaign funds, will enable us to continue with project design and subdivision and re-zoning of the two lots throughout 2024. This loan will be repaid to the Diocese, with 5% interest on funds utilized, when we sell the building lots.

Our next steps are to engage a Project Manager/Owner’s Representative and engineering consultants in the coming weeks, with the aim of starting design work in earnest in May. Over the next few weeks we’ll also be arranging to hold meetings with key stakeholders and groups within the Parish and neighbourhood to guide the Schematic Design of the refurbishment project – please stay tuned to this process as your feedback will be important!

 The PDC is looking for another volunteer to help keep track of documentation, such as our correspondence, contracts and project finances. If you have any skills in this area, and could assist the Committee for 4-6 hours per week, we would appreciate hearing from you.

The Committee currently comprises Billy Garton, Chris Wensley, Alistair Peacock and Janet Benjamin. Please contact Chris (778-323-5706) or Billy (604- 816-6822), or leave a message with Natasha or Marymil via the Church Office.

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Text by Chris Wensley