Fate of Davie Street community garden uncertain

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      With St. Paul’s Hospital moving out of Vancouver’s West End and its property likely to host future condos, what happens now to its neighbour, the Davie Village community garden?

      The garden is at the northwest corner of Burrard and Davie streets. The site was once a Shell gas station.

      Prima Properties Ltd. wants to develop the prime location. In the meantime, the developer turned it into a garden with the help of environmental consulting firm Hemmera.

      According to Hemmera’s account on its website, the owner “gets a 70 per cent tax cut while the land is not in commercial use” for a “whopping $240,000 per year”.

      In 2011, Prima Properties executive David Buddle complained at a council meeting that a community planning initiative at that time could delay his company’s plans.

      A new West End plan was adopted in 2013, and 1157 Burrard remains a garden.

      After the plan to relocate St. Paul’s Hospital was announced, the Straight asked Buddle about what’s next for Prima Properties’ lot, and he said on the line: “I don’t think we’re prepared to comment on that.”

      Comments

      3 Comments

      RF

      Apr 22, 2015 at 10:48am

      Uncertain? Yeah, right. Taking a wild guess, I'm going to say - glass tower with "mixed use" retail space for an exciting front-y slice joint and payday loan shop. And I don't even have a crystal ball!

      So cynical RF

      Apr 22, 2015 at 3:50pm

      Surely there'll be a sustainable nail bar with manipedis too!

      oh yes ... and..

      Apr 22, 2015 at 3:53pm

      "and 1157 Burrard remains a garden"

      but but...1157 ISNT a GARDEN. It's a propaganda/indoctirnation tool, but not anything practical orproductive. It's kind of like the urban Wheat 'fields' of a few years ago.
      Namely ... expensive B**sh*t for promoting the green plan.