After almost three hours of impassioned pleas begging city council to say no; it said yes, gifting to Richmond in the process its first ever Walmart.
At a packed out, standing room only public hearing at city hall council chambers, city council, by a majority 6-2 vote, approved SmartCentres’ controversial $150 million, ten-year-old proposal for a 14-acre outdoor shopping centre – anchored by U.S. retail giant Walmart.
Councillors Harold Steves and Chak Au were the only two to vote against the West Cambie plan - bound by Alderbridge Way, Garden City, Alexandra and No. 4 roads.
Before the plan was approved, veteran Steves went as far to brand the development the “worst or second worst” the city has ever been involved with.
However, although many in the audience had nothing but condemnation for the proposal – traffic concerns, loss of green space and views, environmental damage and dislike of Walmart topped the list – there was a surprising throng of approval for the project.
Of the people in favour, they welcomed the estimated 1,000 jobs (albeit admittedly low paid), convenience and access to lower prices Walmart and the other tenants of the so-called “Central at Garden City” would bring when it opens in 2016.
Coun. Ken Johnston, who voted in favour, said the project has been scaled back over its protracted 10-year journey in and out of the city’s planning process.
Johnston said the development boasts impressive LEED standards and he rebuffed criticism on the night and previously that city council is disrespecting nature by entertaining SmartCentres’ proposal.
And of the fears for small businesses in the area should Walmart come to town, Johnston said a “whole bunch” of small businesses are directly involved in the shopping centre plan.
SmartCentres told the News last week how, out of “respect for the neighbourhood, it only took advantage of less than half the density and height permitted under the West Cambie Area Plan.
Even still, many detractors claimed the views looking north from the adjacent Garden City Lands would be forever "destroyed" if the mall was allowed to proceed.
At a planning committee meeting last month, SmartCentres, in a bid to win favour with city council, offered $238,000 towards more park enhancements within the West Cambie site and for "ecological" improvements within nearby West Cambie Park.
The move was, in part, motivated by the potential loss of environmentally sensitive area (ESA) designated land within the proposed shopping centre site. A number of intersection improvements in the area are also being paid for by the developer.
More on this story to follow.
