Residents in the Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood could soon have increased access to a gym, even as Island Health develops the former Blanshard Elementary School yard into a 322-bed seniors care facility.
The Capital Regional District, which manages the site, has at the city’s request retained the 6,300-square-foot gymnasium for use by the Quadra Village Community Centre located across the street.
Victoria Coun. Ben Isitt, council liaison to the neighbourhood, said the centre was built with a small footprint, with the intention that school gymnasium could be used by the community.
“When the school board decided to close Blanshard school, it was a real loss for the neighbourhood,” Isitt said.
“So, I think, to bring a portion of that facility back under community control and to have that space available for the community centre to provide programming is very positive.”
The agreement would allow the community centre to expand programming to 1,000 hours from 130 hours, offering programs such as kinder-gym, martial arts, Zumba, yoga, dance and youth and adult sport drop-ins.
City staff have hammered out a deal between CDI College, which leases part of the former elementary school site at 950 Kings Rd., the CRD and the Quadra Village Community Centre to permit shared use of the site.
The hospital district will not charge a base rent for the gym, but the city is required to pick up building maintenance and operating costs.
City councillors are being asked today to approve $15,000 to cover the cost of initial repairs and $25,000 in ongoing 2016 operating costs.
Isitt hopes community access to playing fields and garden space will follow as the seniors care facility is developed.
“There’s basically two parcels of land there. One has been turned over entirely for the new hospital project, and that’s now an active construction site,” he said. “But in terms of the ground around the school building, I’m hoping that a portion of the grounds will be available for a community garden and also for a playing field for the centre.”
The hospital district acquired the former school property from the Greater Victoria School District in 2015, consolidating the land with the 1.4-hectare property at 955 Hillside Ave. it had bought two years earlier.
