There’s a critical housing shortage in North Cowichan, but some of the population – like seniors, young families and students – are especially getting left behind by the area’s limited options. The Oaklands by the Lake project could help to change that.
“It is important for our residents to have housing options that best suit their family. I’m seeing a lot of developments that are very cookie-cutter and are just cramming [residents] in,” says Oaklands by the Lake’s president and project coordinator Jenta Madsen.
She wanted to create something different – a housing development that would embrace the environment and offer its residents natural beauty and recreational opportunities. The location on Lake Quamichan was perfect, she says.
Currently in the public feedback phase of their proposal, the Oaklands by the Lake project proposes eight single-family homes, 16 townhomes and a 22-unit apartment complex just five minutes from downtown Duncan.
To further enhance the community, the property plan includes a gathering place on the water, walking paths, and a commercial space inside the apartment complex for potential bike and non-motorized recreational equipment rentals.
There are also plans for café food and beverage services, where neighbours can share a story, smile or sip of tea while overlooking the lakeside activities.
“Not only will our development complement Rowing Canada’s National Training Centre on Quamichan Lake, but our proposed lift station will also enhance the lake’s water quality by reducing the amount of waste water entering it,” says Madsen.
This lift station would service the surrounding residential properties and prevent potential runoff from the neighbouring septic fields into the lake. Through a man-made drainage ditch, the Oaklands site would also take on stormwater from other older housing developments, which otherwise travels into the lake and affects its water quality.
With 65 percent of the property intended to be enjoyable green space, Oaklands also proposes to improve the existing lawn and ditch areas by removing invasive plant species and replacing them with rain gardens and retention ponds full of native plantings.
“This development provides for a sustainable balance between the environmental, social, and economic needs of our growing community while safeguarding our ecosystem for future generations. These values underpin all of our goals, as well as the overall direction of this project,” Madsen says.
The project is committed to providing much-needed housing for the frequently forgotten about “missing middle”, like seniors, students, athletes, and young families.
Oaklands is based on the Municipality of North Cowichan’s Official Community Plan and addresses the housing needs in the municipality’s Housing Needs Report.
If you would like to submit your feedback on the Oaklands by the Lake project, you can fill out their four-question form on their website. And to stay up to date with the project, follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
