The bridge relocation at the Redbridge development is going ahead despite a tight council vote.
By a 4-3 vote at the Oct. 17 regular business meeting, Squamish elected officials approved the amendment in the land development agreement that could see the pedestrian bridge be relocated parallel to the vehicle bridge on the Sea to Sky Highway over Mamquam Blind Channel. To actually put the bridge there, the developer, Kingswood Properties, still needs to obtain other provincial and federal permits and land tenures.
Mayor Armand Hurford and councillors. John French, Eric Andersen and Andrew Hamilton voted in favour of the amendment and councillors Jenna Stoner, Chris Pettingill and Lauren Greenlaw voted against it.
The bridge was originally supposed to cross Mamquam Blind Channel and connect to Rose Park closer to the Smoke Bluffs area, creating a recreational loop. However, it was determined that this option would have had a significant environmental impact on the region.
Worries raised about the bridge relocation boiled down to a lack of security ensuring the bridge is actually constructed, as staff recommended withholding a building permit for the final two phases until the construction of the bridge. Stoner said she was concerned Kingswood could forgo constructing the bridge and the final two phases of development.
However, the District staff present at the meeting, Kerry Hamilton and Jonas Velaniskis, said Kingswood has an October 2025 date to commence construction of the bridge with some stipulations. If the bridge is not making progress by this time, Velaniskis said there could be repercussions if necessary.
“We have legal recourse to make the developer meet their commitments,” he said.
“We're hearing from our staff, there's a level of comfort that they can address our concerns through the processes as it's laid out,” said Hurford. “I have a level of comfort that this is something that will happen.”
Coun. John French said he shared Hurford’s level of comfort.
Hamilton also said Kingswood agreed to increase the community amenity contribution from $60,000 to $175,000 as it was unable to deliver the kayak launch at the phase proposed by council at the Oct. 10 committee of the whole meeting. Kingswood also agreed to remove the strata-only language for the car-sharing program at the site.
The Redbridge development near the Sea to Sky Highway and Scott Crescent intersection has been in the works since 2006. Its original land development agreement was adopted in 2014 and then amended in 2018. When a development permit was issued for the south portion of the site in 2020, further amendments were made to the land development agreement.
This pedestrian bridge is one of two pedestrian bridges in development that would cross the Mamquam Blind Channel. The other is in development with SEAandSKY, where Kingswood is also a partner on the project, and connects with downtown Squamish at Victoria Street.
For more information about amendments made to the land development agreement, read The Squamish Chief’s story about the matter online or in the Oct. 19 print edition.
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