City moving onto next steps of Civic Core District Plan

The City of Prince George is moving onto the next steps when it comes to the Civic Core District Plan.

At tonight’s (Monday) meeting, Prince George City Council voted to have “Administration procure consultant services to prepare conceptual options and site design(s) for the Civic Core District Plan area that includes community consultation results and previously identified priorities, including arena, arts and culture uses.”

The vote followed a brief presentation from city staff on the results of the City’s survey on what residents think should be in the area.

The top three significant items or facilities respondents to the survey indicated should be included in the Civic Core District Plan area were mixed-using housing (51.84 per cent), a performing arts centre (43.41 per cent), and an ice arena (29.46 per cent).

“Let’s get the experts in, now we’ve got some general directions on where we are going to go, let’s get some actual concepts put together,” said Councillor Garth Frizzell.

Councillor Kyle Sampson noted that just because they’re talking about it, it doesn’t mean they’re doing it.

“At this point we’re saying let’s go out and explore the results of this survey,” he said.

“Let’s do some work, let’s bring back some options, let’s talk to these groups who are going to be involved, let’s talk to the public a little bit more, let’s do some more consultation. Any one of these options that comes back, is not the one that we’re saying ‘this is what we’re putting our money in, this is what we’re doing 100 per cent.’ There’s going to be more work done.”

Director of Development and Planning Deanna Wasnik said the intent is to bring back a number of options to Council.

“It might be one, it might be two, it might be three, however many council directs administration to take forward to the public, including our interest groups, to have further comment or feedback provided on,” she explained.

“First we need to procure and create those land plans, bring that back to council and council can direct administration further what to further consult on.”

Other items discussed tonight included the final reading and adoption of the Council Code of Conduct Bylaw.