A multi-decade plan to transform Bonnie Doon mall into a high-density residential and commercial development got a green light from city council Monday.

A rezoning application was unanimously approved that will see the 12.4 hectare mall torn down in phases and replaced with up to over 4,000 residences, as well as businesses and public parks. The redevelopment will see a street-grid cut into the site, and will be designed to take advantage of proximity to LRT. The Valley Line LRT currently under construction will have a stop adjacent to the existing mall.

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The design work for the first few projects to be built on the site at the north end of the property is already underway, said Morguard senior vice-president of development Margaret Knowles.

“We could be in the ground by spring of next year,” Knowles said. One of the projects would be a residential tower where the former Target store was located, which would be geared towards younger demographics, possibly with commercial space for tech companies.

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The end product will still include an enclosed shopping area, which Knowles said will hopefully be the eventual home of the Bonnie Doon Bowling Lanes — which are staying put for the time being. The south end of the mall property where Safeway is a tenant will be among the last portions to be redeveloped during phased work that is expected to take 20 to 30 years. Safeway has a 30 year lease on its current space.

“The reality is that the market has to absorb the product that we’re going to build, so you can’t build it all overnight and have it sitting empty,” Knowles said. “We know that there’s a good market for probably a couple of towers right out of the gate.”

Two residents who attended the public hearing Monday were concerned about the scale of the density, citing concerns about some of the taller proposed towers creating shadows, stress on the area’s utilities, parking and traffic congestion. A representative from the Holyrood Community League spoke in favour of the project.

The public consultation undertaken by Morguard ahead of the public hearing was more extensive than what’s normally required because of the scope of the project.

“They came in and were really keen to speak to the larger community,” said Ward 8 Coun. Ben Henderson. He said Morguard did make changes in design after the consultations, and that while not everyone will be completely happy, the plan is a “golden opportunity for the site.

Henderson did make an amendment passed by council that will see the minimum number of “family” units increased from 150 to 200 as part of the work. He said the city needs to reconsider its definition of a family unit, but he said he suspects more than the minimum will ultimately be built because of the commitment to family-friendly amenities in the area.

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