As has been reported elsewhere, Oak Bay Council passed a resolution on Monday night that essentially tells private developers that they aren’t going to get that land rezoned. Unfortunately, the Times Colonist didn’t see fit to include any of the resolution, so here it is:
That the Minister of Health and VIHA be advised that Oak Bay Council supports:
(1) the retention in public ownership of land, such as the Oak Bay Lodge site, which is currently zoned and used for the provision of long term complex care under the auspices of the provincial government;
(2) the upgrading, expanding, enhancing or renewal of the community of care facility on the publicly owned Oak Bay lodge site to serve seniors in the Municipality and surrounding areas, maintaining or increasing the number of complex care beds and incorporating additional subsidized units, with an appropriate transition plan for existing residents.
The whole council was pretty clear in their discussion that they don’t see why VIHA is selling the land and that any such sales would be “short-sighted”, as Pam Copley said. The RFP has already closed but the winner bidder hasn’t been announced and it is doubtful that VIHA fully reviewed all of them anyway, so this resolution comes at the perfect time. Now that both Saanich and Oak Bay councils have spoken so clearly, what happens next should be interesting, to say the least.