Royal BC Museum unveils rezoning plan

Late this afternoon (February 17, 2010) I attended a reception at the Royal BC Museum at which the chair of the board, Donald Hayes, and CEO Pauline Rafferty unveiled plans to begin the long process of site redevelopment, the first step of which is to have the land use rezoned to a more appropriate context. Museum representatives will initiate this process almost immediately. The Museum will seek a Comprehensive zoning designation, a big step up from the current R-2 Two Family Dwelling zoning (duplex housing), the same non-conforming zoning, ironically, that applies to the block on which the British Columbia Parliament Buildings are situated. I also noticed in a model showing the kind of massing that could eventually be built that the Netherlands Centennial Carillon had been moved several meters west of its current position. When I asked the CEO about this, she confirmed that because the Carillon is seismically unstable, it would have to be moved, but she did not know if it was physically possible. Some of the artwork that was presented also shows two different treatments for the northwest corner of Belleville and Government streets. In one drawing there's something described as a "Public Plaza" and in another street-level view that public plaza space is gone. In both cases the much beloved, at least by staff, Native Plant Garden will be moved to a new location in Thunderbird Park.

The plan is ambitious and bold and the Museum leaders hope the public will back its vision.

Update for February 18, 2010: The Times-Colonist published an article about the plan on February 18, 2010. According to the article, "Open houses are set for March 6 and 7, noon to 3 p.m. at the Royal B.C. Museum." Information about the Museum's plans are available on its site. The Museum wants to hear from you about its plans!

Since the BC Archives building, where I spent most of my working life, will be demolished, don't look for this kind of view in the future: BC Archives snowed in, January 2005.