On July 23 Regina City Council will consider approval of Harbour Landing, a new “community” directly south of the airport, in a process the mayor has publicly admitted will be a rubber stamp. The plan’s first residential phase is based on a city population target of 235,000, rising to 300,000 in phase two. It is worth noting these population trends are “targets” and “visions”, not actual Statistics Canada projections, which are more conservative, ranging from a projected low of 175,000 by 2021 to a maximum of 250,000.

The more immediate prize for land developers is the imminent construction of 90,000 square meters of retail space, rumoured to include a Wal-Mart Super Center.

Mike Hogan of J.J. Barnicke, one of Canada’s largest commercial real estate firms, recently reported: “Southwest Regina is anticipated to be to be the next retail boom area with new development slated for 2008. Over the past few years, regional malls have been negatively impacted by the big box retail environment. Look for this trend to continue into 2007.”

 Meanwhile, land developers have described the plan as a “village” with “funky shops.”

 In advance of population visions becoming reality, it’s reasonable to assume that Regina will continue to experience negative population growth at the core and population expansion at the outer edges, a trend highlighted in recent census data.

 With some of these inner city neighbourhoods poised to become polluted traffic corridors to Regina’s next big box area, one wonders if this trend is destined to accelerate.

Last fall, ActUp reported that major landholders include Toronto-based Dundee Developments and members of the Fiacco family who, with 34 lots between them, represent the second-largest block of landowners in the proposed residential area.

Comments

Written by Hugo Chavez on 2007-07-12 14:00:47 Just to reiterate by shout, Harbour Landing is a joke. Last election, every councillor and the mayor talked about, how far off it was and it wasn't an immediate plan. Remember, My poor mom and dad will never see their investment come through.     Not to mention the fact that Dundee's plans( how much did the mayor get from them?) are completely different from the semi-intelligent designs by the urban planning department and Fiacco rubber stamps it at the press conference.    Well Regina be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

Written by pita on 2007-07-12 22:38:27 If you take the role of "reporting" be certain your facts are correct. How sure are you that the Mayor is the second largest landowner with 34 lots?

Written by pelliott on 2007-07-13 07:00:26 ActUp's earlier report quoted here was based on information publicly available from the Saskatchewan Information Services Corp (Land Titles). The statement above is that 'members of the Fiacco family' (which includes the Mayor. with 2 lots, and his brothers and sisters) owned 34 lots between them, a number confirmed as accurate by the Mayor himself when he was questioned by the media. The original story was posted here:    Southwest Land Backgrounder

Written by pita on 2007-07-13 08:22:37 Your "Southwest Land Backgrounder" conflicts with your statement of July 12, "last fall, ActUp reported that major landholders include Toronto-based Dundee Developments and members of the Fiacco family who, with 34 lots between them, represent the second-largest block of landowners in the proposed residential area."     The land referred to in the backgrounder article is Devonia Park, located 100% outside the proposed Harbour Landing development. So to correct your statement of July 12, the Fiacco family actually owns no land in the proposed residential area.    To provide further correction re: your backgrounder article, I searched the publicly available ISC services and within the Devonia Park 1/4 found the Fiacco family to own 34 lots of a total of 1800. This equates to 0.02% of the Devonia park ownership. In terms of the entire 2160 acres of the Southwest Sector 34 lots can be roughly converted to 2.4 acres (if one lot is 25ft x 125ft). This equates to 0.001% of the total southwest sector.    These are the facts.

Written by Hugo Chavez on 2007-07-13 09:08:59 Devonia Park is slated to be developed , ASAP and 34 lots x the increasing prices for lots = lots of $. It isn't enough we pay for his Lexus, now we will be filling up his bank account. When will Regina figure out this guy is it for Pat, not the city.

The worst kind of urban sprawl developme Written by warnock on 2007-07-13 09:25:25 This new business as usual development reveals that the NDP's new climate change strategy for Saskatchewan is a sick joke.

Written by pelliott on 2007-07-13 11:50:34 ActUp stands by its facts, which were confirmed by Fiacco.

Downtown Written by dancingsock on 2007-07-17 19:38:01 I recently read a report that the new Harbour Landing will be built just a like a small village with a downtown. What I don't understand is why isn't the city developing the current downtown which has the infrastructure instead of creating more environmental waste by building without infrastrucure?

Written by Hugo Chavez on 2007-07-18 14:08:14 It's going to council with reservations from the planning commission, will they pass in its current form or ask for changes, will the Mayor declare his conflict of interest?

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