There’s no way a developer can come in with grand plans and a long-term vision for a neighbourhood and make it a success without buying into the community.
“It won’t feel right, it won’t sit right,” said Ken Mariash, founder of Focus Equities, master developer of Bayview and the Roundhouse lands on Songhees.
Investing in the community has been Mariash’s modus operandi wherever he has built. Be it industrial lands in Calgary or Edmonton or sweeping residential projects in Victoria, he believes you have to be part of the city.
That has driven Mariash and his wife and business partner, Patricia, to give generously to a variety of causes, charities, sports organizations and community-development initiatives wherever they have built and lived.
“If you mean what you say, giving back is all part of it, you can’t avoid it,” said Mariash. “It’s seamless with what your [construction] activities are. You have to feel and touch and join up [with a community] and you have to do it in a big way.”
Mariash, whose grand plan is to develop 20 acres on Songhees, has been as good as his word in Victoria.
Bayview has been instrumental in supporting Victoria Symphony Splash, the Bayview Place Cardtronics Open golf tournament and a number of sports teams.
They have thrown events, cut cheques and offered all kinds of help to organizations as varied as the United Nations Association of Canada, Victoria Women’s Transition House, Island Chef’s Collaborative, the B.C. Cancer Foundation, United Way, Boys and Girls Clubs and the David Foster Foundation.
There are more than two dozen other charities, causes and events the company has been involved with since Mariash started work on Bayview 15 years ago.
“We give in a big way, and we can do that because of the [size of] projects we do,” Mariash said.
“We’re talking big bucks, but we are talking about [building out over] 20 years, and if you don’t join up with that city you won’t be able to pull that off. It won’t feel right or sit right.”
Mariash, who considers the term philanthropy a little “choice” for his tastes — he prefers giving, helping or assisting — said he believes it’s important to put down roots in the communities in which he builds.
A sample of the causes Bayview and the Mariash family have been involved with in Greater Victoria:
Health and justice
• United Nations Association of Canada
• Victoria Women’s Transition House
• Centre for Urban Innovation
• Healing Cities Institute
• Island Chef’s Collaborative
• B.C. Cancer Foundation
• United Way of Greater Victoria
• YMCA-YWCA
• The Salvation Army
• Community Micro Lending
• Soldier On
• Victoria Society for Children with Autism
• Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria
• The David Foster Foundation
Arts and athletics
• Professional Golf Association of Canada events dating back to 2007.
• The Victoria Golf Club
• The Victoria Highlanders — PCL soccer
• The Victoria Cougars — junior hockey
• Gorge Swimfest
• The Canadian College of Performing Arts
• Victoria Symphony Splash
• The Royal and McPherson Theatres Society
• Interarts
Community development
• The Urban Development Institute
• The Island Corridor Foundation
• Victoria Chamber of Commerce
• Prodigy Group
• Canadian Youth Business Foundation
• Camosun College
