Dockside Green Backgrounder
Vision
"Dockside Green will be a socially vibrant, ecologically restorative, economically sound and just community. It will be a distinct collection of beautifully designed live, work, play and rest spaces designed to enhance the health and well being of both people and ecosystems, both now and in the future."
Background
For years, ‘Dockside,’ a 11.6-acre stretch of waterfront land in the heart of Victoria, was feared defunct due to its industrial past. But in October 2004, there was new hope when the City of Victoria issued a request for proposals (RFP) to remediate and redevelop the site.
Windmill Developments, a recognized North American leader in green building, and Vancity, whose community efforts are well-known throughout North America, shared a vision to turn the site into a into a world-class sustainable mixed-use development for people of all ages and incomes. Their proposal for Dockside Green comprised of one million square feet of mixed-use buildings with an onus on ecological, social and economic responsibility, or, in developers’ terms, a ‘triple bottom line’ (TBL) philosophy.
This TBL approach, combined with Dockside Green’s commitment to become North America’s first LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified community won the City’s approval.
Dockside Green and the City of Victoria have been lauded for their collaborative consultation with divergent stakeholders – from local community associations to First Nations groups – throughout the RFP process and beyond.
Once complete, the Dockside Green will be a community for approximately 2,500 people incorporating the very highest in green standards. It is a multi- million-dollar project that includes residential, live/work, hotel, retail, office, light industrial uses and numerous public amenities. It will comprise of 26 buildings totalling 1.3 million square feet, and will be built over 10 -12 years.
In December of 2005, the first stage of the project, Synergy – went to market, and 85 per cent of units sold through in the first three hours. Ten units were reserved for affordable housing. The second phase of the project is currently in the design stage.
To date, the project has been honoured with the following significant awards:
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada announced the winners of its 2006 National Urban Design Awards. Dockside Green’s architects, Busby, Perkins + Will were awarded with a certificate of merit in the category of Approved or Adopted Urban Design Plans.
Dockside Green Limited, the City of Victoria and VicWest Community Association were awarded a “Smartie” and top honours for their proposal and process during Dockside Green’s planning stages, at Smart Growth BC’s inaugural awards ceremony, held in Vancouver this May.
Award of Excellence Planning Institute of BC: Conferred to the City of Victoria in April 2005 in honour of outstanding accomplishments in the field of planning.
Award for Planning Excellence, Neighborhood Planning - Canadian Institute of Planners: Conferred to the City of Victoria in July 2005
Brownie Award - Green Design and Technological Innovation: Conferred to the Dockside Green Partnership and The City of Victoria in October 2005 by the Canadian Urban Institute
Brownie Award - Best Overall Project: Conferred to the Dockside Green Partnership and The City of Victoria in October 2005 by the Canadian Urban Institute
Award of Excellence - Canadian Architect magazine: Conferred to Busby Perkins + Will Architects in December 2005
For more information people may go to www.docksidegreen.com or visit the Dockside Green Presentation Centre at 1107 Wharf Street, open daily from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding Fridays.
DG-Backgrounder _4_Media Contact:
Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Public Relations
250-592-3838 or 250-882-9199