1934 Hovey

Affordable Seniors Housing

A core component of this proposed development is our partnership with the Legion Manor Victoria, where the East Building will be owned and managed by the Legion, and consist of 62 affordable studio and 1-bedroom units intended for seniors 55 years of age and older. Their development committee is currently in the process of applying to BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund (CHF)—a $3.3-billion investment to build more than 20,000 affordable rental homes for people with moderate and low incomes. With Legion Manor Victoria’s current facility being the neighbour directly to the north of the proposed development, this additional housing will build on the success of their existing infrastructure and programming.

Growth in the Right Places

Providing housing choice within the Urban Containment Boundary is in alignment with the OCP’s objective to increase and diversify housing stock and focus on growth in the right places. It is widely understood that homes should be located near existing services, amenities and other destinations (in areas such as this in close proximity to Saanichton Village). Locations like these are great candidates for more housing as they demonstrate an efficient use of land that avoids clearcutting forests on greenfield sites in order to provide the homes people need. The municipality’s policies speak to these trends with a whole host of strategies that aim to reduce car dependence and showcase climate leadership.

Workforce Housing

Saanichton Village includes a number of local shops and Saanich Peninsula Hospital is located just to the east of the village core. Further afield the area has major employers such as BC Ferries and Victoria International Airport. A community that offers a diversity of housing choice is more likely to have a stable and reliable workforce, which is essential for economic growth and the delivery of critical services. The West Building (Market Rental)—on the west side of the site—will contain approximately 133 purpose-built rental homes ranging from studio to 3-bedrooms to strengthen the community and support local business needs.

Road Network

Though the streets have not been formally designated as such, Wallace Drive and East Saanich Road operate like arterial roads, as they provide key connections from south Central Saanich to north Central Saanich. Hovey Road and Prosser Road operate as local roads, as they are both no-through routes, each servicing approximately 10 properties. All the nearby intersections, including East Saanich Road and Hovey Road, Wallace Drive and Hovey Road, and East Saanich Road and Prosser Road, are stop-controlled, with free flow traffic on Wallace Drive and East Saanich Road. In addition, various on-street parking facilities are available nearby. On Hovey Road east of East Saanich Road, the limited curbside space is currently being used as parallel street parking informally.

Transit Network

The site is well served by public transit, with multiple transit stops within 800 metres of the site (an approximate ten-minute walk). The site is located less than 200m from stops on local route #72, less than 400m from stops on local routes #81 and #75, and within 800m of stops on local routes #87 and #82. Though not within the typical walking distance of 800m, one is able to make connections to regional routes #70 and #71 using the local bus routes. Regional routes #70 and #71 run along Highway 17, making key connections to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal in the north and Downtown Victoria in the south.

Cycling and Pedestrian Network

The site is well connected to the cycling network. East Saanich Road, which is directly adjacent to the site, is a marked on-street bike route that connects from south Central Saanich to the north municipal border. Using this route, Saanichton Village is a short 4-minute bike away. Within 400m of the site, the bike route on Wallace Drive is also available, connecting to Brentwood Bay Village in the southwest and intersecting with East Saanich Road in the north. Both routes have the ability to lead to the Lochside Regional Trail, a popular multi-use trail that runs from Swartz Bay to Victoria. From a pedestrian standpoint, the site is fairly well connected, with sidewalks available on most streets surrounding the development. Saanichton Village, where residents may access their daily amenities and services, is a 10-minute walk away with sufficient sidewalk facilities to support the journey.

Car Share

Modo is a two-way car sharing service where registered members can pick up the vehicle from a parking spot and must return it to the same spot when they are done. Currently, the site has two Modo car share vehicles located just over 800m away (an estimated 10 to 15-minute walk or 5-minute bike) at Wallace Drive and Mount Newton Cross Road. The car share service features a compact car and SUV. Another potential car sharing option for residents of the proposed development is Turo. Turo allows individuals to rent out their private vehicles when not in use. As of September 2023, more than 200 cars are listed that can be picked up at or near the subject site.