Port Alberni’s first billion dollar investment was announced yesterday by the SAN Group.
They have purchased 74 acres at the top of Burde Street and plan to build a new community consisting of apartment buildings, condos, townhouses and single family homes.
San Group spokesman Mike Ruttan says maintaining and enhancing the environment in the area is a priority.
“So we create function, while at the same time retaining those really important environmental aspects, and as well, enhance what’s there if possible,” he said. “Part of the environmental plan is to increase the wetlands and at the same time rehabilitate the salmon spawning in Wold Creek.”
Ruttan said a 5 metre-high Beaver Dam blocking salmon will be removed and the beavers relocated.
“The lower of the two ponds in just a slough right now, and the upper one is significantly reduced in size, and I gather that happens every year, and the beavers move away every year and then come back when the rains come, so we just need to work with that,” he said. “They can go into some other tributary of Roger Creek, or somewhere else in the system, just not there.”
Ruttan said Wolf Creek was the most productive salmon tributary of Roger Creek before the beavers blocked the creek a decade ago.
The 73 acre site will feature paths and trails that connect with the existing trail system in the area, and enhance the two ponds and wildlife habitat.
The project will take between 5-8 years to build, creating 4-5000 jobs with an initial budget of up to $1.1 billion
The project announced yesterday still has to go through a consultation and rezoning process before construction can begin.
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