Pic: Gagandeep Ghuman
By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Jan. 18, 2014
The community advertises its events here and some say it would be the ideal location for a gateway to downtown Squamish.
But when BC Rail wipes this teardrop off from the cheek of downtown Squamish, the company will be laughing all the way to the bank.
BC Rail has its Buckley Ave property (called tear drop for its shape) up for sale for the last few years.
It’s for sale for $2.15 million and the 1.62 acre property is being marketed as a ‘high exposure retail’ space.
Located besides the Squamish Elementary School, it’s the first parcel of empty land that greets visitors to downtown Squamish.
BC Rail property manager Rod Salmon said the property being used to advertise community events is within the road allowance of the district.
He said the area behind the ‘For Sale’ sign can’t be used for any other purpose.
Photo: Gagandeep Ghuman
“This is a private property and it’s for sale,” he said.
Senior vice president of Cushman and Wakefield, Bill Randall, said there have been a few offers on the property, but nothing substantive yet.
The District has approached BCR Properties to put an arts/gateway piece on the teardrop site. The district has also told them about downtown revitalization.
“This is a highly visible parcel at the entry to downtown, and the district sees it as an important opportunity,” said Christina Moore, the district spokesperson.
Coun. Patricia Heintzman said once the site is sold, the district would encourage the landowner to be part of the district-led downtown transformation initiative.
She said it’s hard to force a land owner but the district can encourage the land owner them to be part of downtown revitalization.
For Christine Campbell, the BIA executive director, the empty lot is an underutilized opportunity.
“Anyone turning off the highway will often look to the right to see the first open space coming into downtown,” she said.
First impressions are what drove a $300,000 renovation on Cleveland Ave.
With a spruced up frontage and clean paved parking spots, Chieftain Plaza has a fresh new look.
Plans to refurbish the plaza began in 2009 and last year all the shops pitched in.
The fix-up is showing results.
Squamish Liquor Store manager Phil Lazar said the restored plaza has brought new customers.
It’s a pleasant surprise for new and old customers.
“We have had numerous customers who tell us they had never visited the store before,” Lazar said.
Now, if only we could do something about the empty lot sitting opposite Cleveland, he said.
Muriel Shephard says
I understand that BC Rail was GIVEN the land on which to build the railroad. Any land not used for the purpose of transportation should revert back to the Crown/Province or local District. It is disgraceful that we have been deprived of passenger rail transport and are being held to ransom for the land.
Eric Andersen says
The railway company bought the land from the Squamish Indian Band in 1914 — at quite a high price for the time.
Douglas R. Day says
BC Rail should be encouraged to donate this parcel of land to the people of Squamish for a gateway entry park to Downtown
The land could then be used for a variety of “open air” purposes by various groups.
Would look nice.
The other “entry parcel” that needs even more attention, is the large former gas station site across the street.
That has been chain link fenced off for over 15 years and leaves a very poor impression to Visitors coming downtown.
Douglas R. Day
Jean says
BC Rail instead of digging up the polluted Railroad tracks from the railway shop to wherever .. when there locomotives were run dry of old engine oil as a quick oil change polluting the track and the neighbouring properties and there groundwater, rather then collecting and ecologically disposing of it .. maybe they would be willing to trade a bit of land that would cost less then if they would be found guilty, if that was really true and they would have to remedy it to be in good standing…if guilty of that, as a retribution and gesture of good will, they might donate that parcel of land that they obviously don,t need any more to the community… At one time they where good employer,s and whee somewhat esteemed, but over time and especially by selling out to CN and closing the repair and Rail West facilities, maybe they could be persuaded to have a bit more heard and let it go…By the way Who owns that company now, after they are officially not in business of railroading any more?
MichaelL65 says
This
Marion Payette says
I believe what is needed is a dedicated right hand turn lane for the traffic
going to drop off Children to the school or for those living in the area.
When the crossing is blocked with a Train traffic could at least move and turn right if needed instead of just sitting and backing up along Cleveland Ave.
Rick says
If the railway is to profit from the sale of the land, why did the DOS Public works employees and 2 or 3 pieces of equipment spend an entire day last week cleaning it up. Someone please chime in and tell me that BC Railway Properties is going to pay for this.
Victor Brodeur says
I don’t know where the reporter got there info but obviously not from the owner,
That Reno on Chieftain Plaza cost over 700,000 dollars.
Please do some fact checking before posting these articles.
Muriel Shephard says
I don’t see what this comment has to do with the Teardrop parcel of land.