Vancouver-based Aragon Properties is planning to build 133 homes on a 10-acre property at the corner of Church Road and Wadams Way in Sooke.
The plan for the former site of the Wadam’s farm calls for 80 strata-titled townhomes of up to three storeys and 54 single-family homes of up to two and a half storeys.
“We are planning this as a friendly, walkable community with a real neighbourhood feel,” explained Luke Ramsay, the Development Manager for Aragon Properties.
“For example, for the single-family units, we’ve created access for cars through back lanes so that, at the front of the properties, we can present a friendly, walkable streetscape. That’s not always possible when the front yards are largely taken up by front driveways.”
Similarly, the townhouses are situated away from the roadways and share common amenities spaces to create social gathering places as well as providing access to meeting space for people who are operating home businesses or telecommuting from their home community.
The townhomes are also augmented with a communal cooking area, a pickleball court, a playground and even a much-needed dog park.
“We look at additions like the dog park as creating a community gathering space. It’s a place to meet your neighbours and interact while sharing a common interest,” said Ramsey.
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Although the land is currently zoned to allow for 133 residential units, Aragon has applied for a rezoning to allow for a reconfiguration of the homes on the property.
“The land was originally rezoned in 2010 by the Wadams family and we acquired it two years ago,” said Ramsey.
“When we looked at the proposed plan, though, we didn’t think it fit well with the character of the community and we thought we could do better. We’ve applied for a rezoning to allow us to make this a much more people-friendly neighbourhood.”
As a lead up to the rezoning application going forward, Aragon is hosting it’s second community open house to update the community on their proposed development. It’s slated to take place at the Sooke Community Hall on Tuesday, June 11 at 5 p.m.
“We’re just finishing a project in Esquimalt and now we have the opportunity to bring our neighbourhood concept to Sooke,” said Ramsey.
“These are our first projects on Vancouver Island and we’re really excited about coming to Sooke. It’s such a great community and we’re looking forward to being a part of making it even better.”
mailto:tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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