Nelson: City master plan: imagine 3,000 more residents in the core

[SpongeG]

City master plan: imagine 3,000 more residents in the core



From this to this? Nelson's draft Downtown and Waterfront Master Plan would turn a portion of Hall Street into a public plaza.
Andrea Klassen photo/Submitted

By Andrea Klassen - Nelson Star
Published: March 08, 2011 3:00 PM
Updated: March 08, 2011 3:31 PM

Modern buildings on Baker, hundreds of downtown apartments and a new waterfront neighbourhood are all on the table as the city’s latest vision for its core goes back to the public for a final round of consultation Wednesday evening.

The Downtown and Waterfront Master Plan, which saw two rounds of public input last fall, is on display from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hume Hotel, with formal presentations at 6:15 and 7:15 p.m.

Created by Vancouver-based IBI Group, the draft plan calls for a slate of new parks and public spaces in both areas, as well as on the North Shore, and encourages the city create a “catalytic development company” to jump-start its residential and commercial plans.

New parks would include the controversial Red Sands Beach, which IBI recommends preserving with its current tree grove, a North Shore green space built around the orange bridge, and a “gateway park” that would replace most of the parking lot at the Prestige Lakeside Resort.

The rarely used plaza outside City Hall would get its own facelift. The report suggests using the space to host more public events and adding “one or several small retail or food businesses at its northern edge, interactive public art, interactive fountains, gardens, playground, bocce ball or small stage area.”

Another plaza would replace the section of Hall Street just above Baker, now mainly used as parking space.

The plan also calls for “approximately 1,000 to 1,200 new multi-family homes representing approximately 2,500 to 3,000 residents,” to be added over time in the city’s core.

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http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_...117613968.html

[renthefinn]

Don't think I should comment on the plan, haven't been to Nelson yet, heard good things, had some friends living up there, should visit this year if i get a chance. I hear they have a train?

[240glt]

I hope they are residences, not vacation homes.

I love Nelson, lived there for two years and went to school there. It is ideally situated almost exactly 1/2 way between Vancouver and Calgary which means you can't drive there for the weekend, which keeps it from being overrun with city types every long weekend.

There's not a heck of a lot of land available in Nelson due to physical constraints, but the little plaza on Hall st does make sense.... I just hope that the Boomtown emporium sticks around!

[Doug]

So does this involve redevloping the railyard?

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Doug

So does this involve redevloping the railyard?

I sure hope so! Nelson is sooo beautiful, love it there... hate the railroad and would hate to see it over-run by a bunch of rich white dinks. The majority of the beauty Nelson has comes from its people... that should never change