In an architectural slight of hand, a new building at the entrance of Snug Cove is designed to camouflage one of the island’s less attractive features.
On Monday night, council agreed to authorize staff to give notice that it will consider a development variance permit for Rondy Dike’s proposed two storey building in the parking lot of Union Steamship Marina parallel to the southern walkway leading to and from the ferry dock.
Designed in the same heritage style as his USSC Marina building, and to be painted with the same colours, one storey would be visible from the road while, from the parking lot, two stories would be visible.
If a change in set-back is approved, the building will be one of the first things people see getting off the ferry. Dike says it will also mask the part of the parking lot that’s now filled with parked boats and vehicles.
“Although it blocks the long-distance view of Snug Cove, it also blocks the industrial effects of the parking lot,” Dike told the Undercurrent on Tuesday morning. Every effort has been made to keep the storey that’s visible from the ferry dock as short as possible, he says.
He’s also very pleased that he’s working in tandem with the Gateway Garden landscaping design team spearheaded by Holly Graff.
Graff is working with landscape designer Wynn Nielsen and landscape architect James Tuer to create a “welcome to Bowen Island” garden from the ferry dock to the green space next to the marina.
Dike’s new building is designed to serve several functions. It will provide a home base for Cormorant Marina and Bowen Island Roasting Company and give plenty of space for the marina to rebuild the “fingers” of its docks. By not having to do the work off-island, Dike will be able to re-use the existing foam and treated lumber.
The plan is to have Bowen Island Roasting Company move its roasting facilities to the building and also have a kiosk fronting the ferry dock so people can grab a cup of coffee while they wait for the ferry.
Dike estimates that the building, which will cost about $500,000, will provide a workspace for about 25 people, as well as employ people for construction. He hopes to have it framed in by next summer.
Zoning for the project has long been in place. The plans came to council because of the wording for setback requirements. The USSC property borders the road and the Cove’s shoreline, but it also comes up to the parkland owned by the Greater Vancouver Regional District, including Davies Orchard. Dike says there needed to be a wording change so that the setback for the project was not treated the same as the setback for the park. Council voted in favour of being willing to consider the setback change at its November 23 meeting, with Mayor Murray Skeels and Councillor Sue Ellen Fast casting dissenting views.
When the plans were presented to the municipality’s advisory design panel, some members expressed concerns that the proposed building is too long and might create a “corridor feel” between the road and existing lock block wall. However, a majority supported the design and use as presented.
Dike notes that the current lock block wall alongside the sidewalk is built at a slope leaning from the boundary line towards the roadway. By putting the building where he proposed, the v-shaped space between the building and cement wall can be filled in and used for the Gateway Garden project.
Dike will incorporate, at no charge, features that will help the Gateway Garden team irrigate the garden which will better enable it to be home for both shade and sun plants.
“I’m very excited about the project,” says Graff. “We will have an entranceway to the Cove that the whole island will be proud of.” The Gateway Garden was conceived as a way to screen the less attractive features of the maintenance section of the parking lot. “Rondy’s building will do some of that for us,” says Graff. “We’ll be able to integrate the garden with the building.”
The Bowen Island Community Foundation has granted $15,000 for the Gateway Garden and Graff was able to secure an additional $17,000 in gifts and in-kind gifts. “It’s a public amenity that costs the municipality and taxpayers nothing,” Graff says.
