05-24-2023, 11:48 AM
(05-23-2023, 09:22 PM)nms Wrote: How much would it cost the City to buy an equivalent land area of Victoria Park (~27acres) that was in the downtown core (or 5-10 minute walk from an LRT stop?). A overlooked cost in any new City facility is the cost of the land (which is why some of the Phase 2 LRT project cost is so high).
Are we stuck in an upwards spiral where rising land costs are forcing the City to raise development fees in part to pay for the land for the facilities?
The Bramm St lands 8 acres alone, which is comparable to the non-stormwater pond and forested areas of Victoria Park. Another 2 acres of parking lots on Charles St. A 3 acre contaminated soil plot languishing behind the School of Pharmacy fenced off from a brand new MUT.
As Dan said, also many more smaller parcels that could be made into accessible, small parks that aren't necessarily enormously expensive land assemblies. If the budget and will was there to make good on turning city and region owned asphalt into parks, that could go a long way to start without a single new parcel purchased.