May & January 2024 Updates

Update - May 2024

Project Status update
The project team submitted the rezoning application in February 2024 and received technical review group (TRG) comments from various departments at the end of March. City staff and the project team are hosting another workshop to discuss the key comments and determine a path forward to resubmission through this iterative process; projects of this scale often take 1-2 years of staff/project team collaboration prior to going to Council. The quick response by city staff continues to demonstrate the city’s interest and support of civically oriented projects.

In parallel to the direct application work, the project team and BFTF are continuing to participate in and share Official Community Plan (OCP) engagement opportunities as the city undertakes updating this key guiding document between now and early 2025. Engaging with this plan in parallel to the rezoning application provides opportunities for some of the land use changes to be considered in the new plan, minimizing the requests through the rezoning application. BFTF encourages all parishioners and community members to be involved in the public consultation around the OCP as it seeks to meet the housing targets identified by the province in 2023 and is the guiding document for the next 10 years for all areas of the city.

Parishioners’ Meeting April 13^th 2024
At a recent meeting of cathedral parishioners there were a number of questions that were asked. The following is a summary Q&A as an outcome of that meeting.

1. Why pay for the rezoning? Why not have a developer pay the rezoning costs? Why not wait for the new neighbourhood plans?
   A. As per the project update, the OCP (Official Community Plan) is underway by the City of Victoria and the BFTF team are engaging in parallel to realize opportunities through that process. The BFTF steering committee has made the informed decision to collaboratively work with the city throughout both processes to best position the project, understanding that regardless of the OCP update, a rezoning process will be required.
2. Where are we going as a Cathedral, what is the role of the Cathedral?
   A.Please read the aspirational statements of the Cathedral that were developed in preparation for the Building for the Future process HERE.
3. What will happen to the school? Is the School part of the process?
   A. Please see point Christ Church Cathedral School, in January update.  

   The school has been involved in the process from the very beginning and throughout the BFTF process. They are undertaking their own specific engagement with parents and families to explore the future opportunities for the school’s long-term future on the precinct.

4. Building for the Future will generate revenue, when would we realize revenue?
   A. It will start when first phase of housing is ready for occupation and build as the project is built out.
5. Did we do a cost- benefit analysis?
   A. Cost/Benefit. The city, working with an agreed upon third party, will undertake, a land lift analysis to determine the future value of the precinct upon approval of the new land use and density changes. This process is a confidential one undertaken between the proponent (us) and city staff. Specific cost benefit analysis related to each development phase will take place prior to any agreement with a developer to build on the site.
6. Why are we going through a rezoning process?
   A. The rezoning process will result in flexibilities for the long-term use of the site while providing certainty to internal stakeholders and the wider community about what may be realized over many years through the Master Plan. It will also result in additional land uses and densities. This assists in de-risking the political process for potential partners and providing certainty to the community that the land will remain in the hands of the Diocese. Additionally, community amenities will be retained and enhanced over the various phases of the project.
7. Can we learn from other religious institutions? Examples- 1^st Metropolitan, other cathedrals.
   A. BFTF has studied many churches and particularly iconic cathedrals, that have already used the process of “release of value” to sustain them into the future and to ensure their long-term ministry sustainability. 

   One of the significant reasons for the selection of FaulknerBrowns Architects as our Architect of record on this project is the fact they have done considerable work with cathedrals in various countries. Members of the steering committee are in regular contact with church professionals across the country doing similar work and there have been many lessons learned.

8. Do we have a financial agreement?
   A. There is only a single owner of the Cathedral Precinct, the Diocese of BC, so no legal agreement is required. There is no plan to sell any land on the Precinct, rather leases and other agreements for partners to occupy space on the site are anticipated. One of the key aims of the project is to provide capital and ongoing operating dollars for the cathedral and diocesan ministries. The process to determine how these funds will be used has been and will continue to be collaborative.
9. Funding- How do we pay for our ongoing ministry? (BFTF revenue)
   A. Conversations around financial sustainability are ongoing both for the Cathedral Parish, other churches of the diocese and all ministries across the diocese.
10. Who owns the land the Cathedral and school are on?
    A. All the lands and buildings on the cathedral precinct are owned by the Diocese of BC.
11. What happens if the Cathedral parish is no longer in the building when the development begins
    A. As the Deanery and other administrative spaces are being considered for redevelopment, associated administrative activities will need to relocate temporarily during a point of development. As for worship, the external work would have little impact on Sunday worship. However, as a diocese we have other places available for worship, should the need arise.
12. Where are we in the process? Need a clear timeline.
    A. See image attached below.
13. What happened to the south lawn project? What has happened to funds donated for this project?
    A.  This pre BFTF project is being revisited, more information to come from the Cathedral Stewardship Committee.
14. Did the Phase 2 investigations include an archeological risk/impact assessment?
    A. As part of the Phase 2 due diligence work, the team engaged the archaeological branch at the province and with the diocesan cultural archivist to explore the site and adjacent site for areas of historic and known potential. This has been included in the rezoning application. At a joint service on 23 June 2024, a history of the cathedral lands will be shared as a step toward understand the historic responsibilities of holding this land.

Update -  January 2024
The pre-application consultation period through the City of Victoria development tracker, the CALUC process, and other engagement events provided the project team the opportunity to learn additional community concerns and ideas. Many of these are reflected in the current and will be reflected in the updated plans submitted to the City in early 2024. Below provides additional information to some of the primary questions or clarifications we received.

1. Greenspace
    
   1. Preserving but also enhancing the greenspace on the Precinct has been one of the overarching goals of this project since its beginning three years ago.
   2. Greenspace includes the urban forest, open space, hard and soft landscaping and connectivity to other environmental aspects of the neighbourhood such as Pioneer Square.
   3. The quality of greenspace and health of the living environment on the Precinct has been taken into careful consideration into the conceptual design of the site to ensure it is improved and enhanced.
   4. Existing green space that sits adjacent to the Cathedral and provides heritage and significant cultural value to the site shall be protected from any major development. This includes:
      1. Any proposed removal of vegetation including understorey planting, shrubs and trees shall be replaced in a manner that maintains or improves upon existing biodiversity and canopy cover throughout the precinct.
      2. Cultural and visual heritage will be enhanced and reinforced through the introduction of thoughtful native and native adaptive/resilient planting palettes that are complimentary of the existing natural character of the Precinct.
      3. Access including permeability throughout the site will be based around connectivity between proposed additional open green space areas and pedestrian focused nodes/landmarks/spaces.
         
         

2. Heritage – what are the priorities for this project and how are you addressing the buildings on the site?

1.Ensuring the heritage buildings on site are preserved and maintained to current and future standards has been another overarching goal of this project since its beginning three years ago.

1. 1. 1. 1. The proposed work to the Christ Church Cathedral Precinct is to conserve the heritage buildings (extending their physical life), while simultaneously revitalizing the site with new development in strategic locations. As part of the revitalization of the Precinct as a whole, the heritage buildings will be preserved, restored and rehabilitated, using each asset’s Character Defining Elements (CDEs) as a guide. The conservation objectives for Christ Church Cathedral, the Memorial Hall and Yarrow Chapel are primarily focused on the preservation of these historic structures, including their various character defining elements; restoration of deteriorated elements; and rehabilitation, where needed, to allow for contemporary new uses. 
      2. Significant studies have been undertaken to understand the state of each building – including updated statements of significance, condition assessments sand structural and seismic design reviews – to ensure a deep understanding of how to move forward with each.
         1. Memorial hall- has been partially seismically upgraded over the years but requires additional work both for its current users but also any future users.
         2. Cathedral- as one of the most important heritage buildings in the city, securing the long-term structure to serve the community for years to come is primary priority. There is work that needs to be done to ensure this can happen including seismic upgrades, and program renovations. 
         3. Yarrow chapel -condition assessments are underway to determine its current interior and exterior state and future upgrades needed to extend its life.
         4. Deanery – while not formally designated, it has a statement of significance that has been updated and has been recognized for its heritage value. Its current condition and future repurposing opportunities are being explored to discern its role and location in the future.

3. Christ Church Cathedral School 

1. How has the school been involved?The school has been one of the three core stakeholders on the Building for the Future Committee leading this initiative since the beginning. The design team has worked and continues to work with the school on demonstrating a variety of ways the school can thrive in the future of a reimagined Precinct. This includes enhancing the green space from not just paved play areas but other opportunities both on the Precinct and on adjacent sites and amenity spaces, as urban schools do across the world.  The school, in parallel to this work, is undertaking business planning and program planning to develop a long-term plan for enhancement of their educational offerings.
2. Communicationsgoing forward: January 2024 will bring further opportunity for parents to engage directly with School Leadership on the current status of plans and future processes for visioning and design development.
3. Construction safety:The phasing of development on site will allow for the relocation of portables and continued access to outdoor play space. Coordination between the School and other development partners and the team will ensure that the school will be safe and functional during construction phases. Construction safety and management plans are part of any urban development and consider access, safety and operational success of all partners as priorities.
   
   
4. Access and Transportation
    
   1. Site accessibility:Improving site accessibility for all has been a priority for this work and functional access, such as waste management, is a key component of this. The plans reflect these needs, and improve what is not a fit for purpose access plan for current users. 
   2. Quadra Street:There has been community dialogue around Quadra street changes – and this plan has never encouraged the closure of Quadra street. Through conversations with the City, and neighbours, the vision of a public forecourt plaza for a safer entrance and experience to the Cathedral site is being proposed. The City has medium term plans for Quadra street itself that citizens can learn about through the City’s active transportation planning process.
   3. The proposed public forecourt located at Quadra Street is a mixed mode zone which will allow vehicles to continue to use Quadra Street and Courtenay Street as they do today. Successful examples of mixed mode zones exist in some of the public’s favourite urban spaces, including Exhibition Road in London and Vancouver’s Granville Island.  These streets allow for greater flexibility of uses and a more enjoyable, accessible, and barrier-free pedestrian experience, while still allowing vehicular traffic. The proposed design applies principles outlined in the City of Victoria’s Public realm Strategy and seeks to deliver community-identified transportation and access priorities.  
      
      
5. Timelines
   
   
   1. Phase 2B will complete when the rezoning submission is submitted to the City of Victoria in early 2024.
   2. Phase 3 will be the rezoning process with the City which is anticipated to be at least 18 months given the scale and scope of this project.

January 28 will be the next public meeting at the Cathedral Parish for all who are interested in learning more about the final submission and what the process with the City looks like going forward.

3. The project remains on the original schedule that each phase will be realized with a development and building permit, with the first phase of construction beginning at the earliest in 3-4 years.

6. Why is the Diocese doing this now?
   
   
   1. The Diocese is always asking how it can best use its assets to serve the communities we are a part of. As a part of that they have been undertaking a strategic asset management review across all of their properties to better understand how buildings and properties can better reflect current and anticipated community needs. Each community and context is unique this is done in conversation with the parish and history of each place. 
   2. The Cathedral has been thinking about what might be possible on the site for many years and the combination of opportunity, need, and a desire to continue to be a vital community for the city for the next 100+ years, provides a moment now to start the process toward fulfilling that vision. 
   3. With significant changes to the role of religion in our society over the past 50 years the future will not look like the past. New ways of serving, and new ways of sustaining the ministry of the diocese are being explored to grow and change with the communities that we are a part of, which by necessity must include how these ministries and the facilities that house them, are funded.
   4. Housing is such a pressing issue across all generations right now -  and we want to try to be a part of the solution to helping people find a home within their own communities.

- The Reverend Canon Ian Powell, Chair of the Steering Committee