A second Public Hearing on the Kimberley Crossing seniors development proposed for Marysville was to have occurred next Monday at Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting, but has been postponed while the Ministry of Transportation looks at traffic concerns.
Mayor Don McCormick says that traffic was the primary concern arising from a previous hearing.
“All the concerns are traffic related,” he said. “People say they love the project, it’s just a matter of location and traffic. And because access is off a provincial highway we need the advice of a Ministry engineer.”
The access to Kimberley Crossing, which is located on the northwest side of the river, would be through the same intersection as access to the Kimberley Golf Course. There was concern about the amount of morning and late afternoon traffic, and the additional traffic the new facility would generate.
“We need to go through the province to get feedback,” McCormick said. “Then it’s the responsibility of the developer to come up with ways to mitigate concerns.”
Those concerns aside, McCormick says that Kimberley Crossing is an amazing project that does have a market in Kimberley and the surrounding area.
What is proposed is a three-levels of care seniors complex. Lot A is proposed to be improved with a three storey 48,000 sq. ft. building designed for 61 short and long term care rooms and 3 rooms for respite care. Amenities will include a library/computer/hobby room, barber/hairdresser, as well as a quality kitchen and dining facility. Lot B will be improved with 18 one storey, level entry “patio” style units with 2 bedrooms averaging 968 sq. ft. each. The buildings will consist of 2 attached duplexes, 9 buildings in total. Lot C is proposed to be improved with a four storey 47,346 sq. ft. independent living building designed for 45 units of independent and assisted living. The units will consist of 21 – studio, 12 – one bedroom and 12 – two bedroom suites. Amenities will include a library, computer room, hobby room, exercise room, theater, entertainment director, barber/hairdresser, as well as a quality kitchen and dining facility.
The proponent estimates economic spin-off in the first year, including construction to be $132,400,000 and then $35 million annually thereafter. For the three phases, 77 jobs will be generated. The proponent says these are “high paying and skilled” jobs. They also estimate another 100 jobs in the surrounding communities through support services.