By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: May 26, 2012
Vancouver based developers, Bill and Howard Chan, are proposing a five-storey, 43 unit condo subdivision on Olson Road in Brackendale.
The new condo subdivision, tentatively called Leski’s Crossing, is situated just off of Government Road, north of Leski’s crossing, near the Rivers Walk townhomes.
The property is bordered to the north and south by private lots, to the east by Highway 99, and to the west by Olson Road.
The lot is currently occupied by a single family home, on which the proponents plan to develop a multi-family residence.
The project was unveiled at a sparsely attended public meeting in the Sea to Sky Hotel on Thursday, May. 23.
The proposed size is 42,000 sq-ft, four storeys high with parking on the bottom floor.
“If you compare it to nearby Rivers Walk, the foot print here is almost equal to 12 townhomes,” said Helen Besharat, the project architect.
She said the condos would provide for housing diversity in type and square-footage.
There will be 600 sq-ft studio and one-bedroom condos, along with two and three bedrrom units with square footage going up to 1,600 sq-ft.
“We were looking for a mix of housing, so we can have seniors, couples, and even families living here,” she said.
The plan also provides for a widening of the Olson Road, along with the provision of a public park.
The proponents said the traffic impact won’t be big, a fact disputed by Thomas Barnard, who lives on Olson Road.
Sarah Allan, the traffic engineer, said her study reveals no more than 25 cars would enter or leave the development at peak hours.
Barnard, who is one of the few residents on Olson Road, said he believes the condos subdivision would substantially increase the traffic on a quiet street.
“I just like the way my house is now,” he said.
Jeff Dawson, a resident of Rivers Walk, supported the project, saying well-lighted Olson Road would be a plus for the neighbourhood.
The project is now headed to the council for review. Construction is likely to start next spring.
anonymous squamish resident says
Yah, just what we need. More condos to even further dilute an already precarious condo market in Squamish. Can we please have a little more thought and intelligence go into planning our town’s overall development? With Aqua still in receivership, all other condo property values have already been devalued. With “bubble” worries on the horizon, and a market that hasn’t fully recovered, why add salt to the wound??
Kram says
I echo your thoughts. The district needs to take some responsibility in planning, which includes not allowing the developers to flood the market with unnecessary projects. This will only cause harm. Look south for advice on what oversupply in housing can do. Don’t leave it to developers to choose our fate.
Nate Dolha says
So we are expecting muni hall to regulate the market now?