A proposed land swap deal with the developers of Royal Bay could see the City of Colwood gain nearly seven acres of parkland and $2 million towards a new community centre.

In exchange, the city will give developers Gablecraft Homes, nearly nine acres of city land B次元官网网址� described as a redundant gravel storage site on Metchosin Road B次元官网网址� for further development.

Three bylaw amendments are also proposed as part of the deal, including a change to the Latoria South Sub Area Plan, allowing for an additional 500 residential units, bringing the maximum total of units permitted to 2,600.

The deal was described as a B次元官网网址渓egacy-defining opportunityB次元官网网址� by Coun. Ian Ward at a meeting on Monday (Nov. 25).

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 rare that you come across at this table a true win-win,B次元官网网址� said Ward. B次元官网网址淭his is a rare opportunity where we can do whatB次元官网网址檚 best for the 22,000 people in Colwood.B次元官网网址�

Of the nearly seven acres of parkland on offer, close to five acres will be used for the cityB次元官网网址檚 Quarry Park expansion plans, while the remainder will extend Promenade Park.

B次元官网网址淭his is an exciting opportunity for the City of Colwood to achieve a number of its parks and recreation objectives,B次元官网网址� said Mairi Bosomworth, senior planner.

B次元官网网址淭his is a solution that preserves a significant amount of mature forest area up in the Royal Bay area, and allows what isnB次元官网网址檛 a park to become a park,B次元官网网址� said Ward about Promenade Park.

The $2 million can be used at the city's discretion, but has been earmarked to help towards plans for a community centre on the Quarry Park site, an opportunity Coun. Ward described as "priceless".

The three bylaw amendments related to the land swap deal were given their first two readings at the Nov. 25 meeting.

Coun. Cynthia Day opposed two of the bylaw amendments related to the city land at 3698 Metchosin Rd., citing B次元官网网址渕ajor concernsB次元官网网址� about the impact an additional 500 homes will have on the sewer network.

The councillor said she had expected the land at 3698 Metchosin Rd. would be needed in the future for sewage treatment works.

B次元官网网址淚 cannot blindly support something that may cost us a great deal in the future,B次元官网网址� said Day, who highlighted plans for the Royal Bay development have B次元官网网址渢ripled in sizeB次元官网网址� since its first conception.

A public hearing on all three bylaw amendments will follow in the near future.