A five-storey residential building with 86 apartments is tabbed to fill an empty lot in the hospital district and could provide homes for a possible influx of health-care workers.
A development permit application for 1740 Dufferin Cres. was approved at a city council meeting Monday, Dec. 16.
“It’s in the hospital secondary urban centre … with close proximity to Bowen Road and transportation there, as well as all the services, and the hospital, NRGH, is close by,” said Jeremy Holm, city director of planning and development.
The proposal calls for a five-storey building in an area zoned for structures up to 12 storeys in height, and is in an area already built up with multi-family developments. The site is also within walking distance to commercial services, transit, and active transportation routes including a multi-use trail that connects Crescent View Drive to Bowen Road.
Of the 86 units, 40 will be one-bedroom, ranging in floor space from 614 to 786 square feet; 44 two-bedroom units of 820 to 936 sq. ft., and two 1,130 sq. ft. three-bedroom units.
“With the future construction of the B.C. Cancer [centre] for Nanaimo and all of the staff we will have coming to town, as well as when we do get the expansion for the hospital ... and all of the future staff that will be coming to town, this is an important development, very close to the hospital. It’s a good addition to our town. I hope that council will support it,” said Coun. Janice Perrino.
Coun. Sheryl Armstrong raised concern about additional traffic entering and exiting Dufferin Crescent from the property, which will be via a shared driveway with a drug store at the corner of Bowen Road and Dufferin Crescent and an existing multi-family development. The driveway is also directly across from vehicle access to Westhill Centre.
“I won’t be voting against it because of that, but that is a big concern for me because somewhere down the line, we’re going to have to look at putting lights in there because it’s an extremely dangerous intersection," Armstrong said.
Council voted unanimously to issue the development permit.
