District of Squamish officials are pushing for the Sea to Sky Gondolas restaurants and retail outlets to be accessible only to ticket holders, a move staff say will help keep tourist traffic flowing into Squamish.
At Tuesdays (Oct. 18) regular council meeting, lawmakers passed the first and second reading for rezoning need for the 6.17-acre base of the gondola. The gondola, which would ascend 2,700 feet to a ridge below Mount Habrich, also needs approval from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, B.C. Parks and the province. The proponent, GroundEffects Development Ltd., tackled district rezoning first, as its the key to the rest of the project.
With the initial nod from council, the rezoning application will now go to public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. at city hall.
While district staff supported the overall project, the planning departments report to council pointed out a few areas of concern issues addressed in the rezoning. Proponents of the gondola, which would rise from a piece of property thats currently a gravel pit between Shannon Falls and Stawamus Chief provincial parks, proposed an open base concept that allows full public access throughout the terminal area.
That could create a convenient highway commercial stop for the travelling public, said Sarah McJannet, a district planner. However, if the proposed 4,475-square-foot retail and caf space, including 1,000-square-foot storage space, became a draw, visitors could be less compelled to extend their stay to the rest of town, she noted.
As such, district staff recommended the gondolas bases facilities only be open to ticket holders, similar to tourist attractions such as the Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Vancouver Aquarium.
The projects proposed water source will be from wells. Although the current gondola proposal is to see it independently serviced, GroundEffects will have to meet district regulations regarding sufficient firefighting capacity. A review by the National Fire Protection Association will be necessary, the report stated.
Gondola proponents hope to capitalize on the four million vehicles that travel the Sea to Sky Highway annually, McJannet said. Proponents aim to draw up to 300,000 visitors annually, she said, noting the potential tourism spin-offs for Squamish.
GroundEffects anticipates the gondola would employ between 20 to 50 full-time staff. If built, the gondola would be a significant employer in Squamish, the report noted. As of 2010, only three per cent of local businesses employed more than 20 people.
