Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormer
We already have the CBC, City-TV, CNIB, Willow and all sorts of commercial tenants on the U of R campus and Research Park.
WCA have been wiling to consider major commercial developments in the past that may not have become public because they did not proceed and they will continue to do so in the future. This does not mean they will be in the flower garden in front of the Legislature but rather in appropriate places such as along Broad, Albert and College.
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Big difference between
considering and approving. As a public entity, they have a public policy obligation to hear & explore proposals.
I know a long serving Board member (and former Chair of the Master Plan review) very well... commercial entities have always wanted in, but WCA has traditionally been very hesitant (guided by the Centre's mandate, as defined by the Wascana Centre Act).
- The Research Park is obviously a major commercial development, but it's always been positioned as ancillary to the UofR's educational mandate, and the Centre's Research & Development mandate (defined in the WC Act).
- CBC & SCN fit under the cultural banner (CityTV was grandfathered, but likely still fits, given its educational commercial-free daytime broadcast obligations)
- CNIB was grandfathered (though, the 1999 Master Plan text Dan0myte mentions implies to me that a new building would be a tough sell. Especially given that CNIB doesn't own the land... unlike the Queen Building (the other "non-conforming use" building), which sits on federally-owned land)
- Willow on Wascana really only exists because WCA attempted a commercial enterprise itself (a canteen), which bled money. The building sitting empty was not good. Several restaurants have attempted to operate there, Willow's the first successful one
The Normal School (aka Sound Stage) section of the
2006 Master Plan, addresses the few commercial exceptions above quite clearly:
Normal School Sound Stage
The old Normal School was an important heritage building unoccupied for many years and badly needing an on-going use to maintain it. A use compatible with the purposes of the Centre proved difficult. However, a commercial sound stage has been approved since the last Plan on the basis that the preservation of an architecturally and historically important building could be seen as serving two of the purposes defined by the Act (my emphasis) (the advancement of the cultural arts and the enlargement of educational opportunities). The new occupation of the building has been interpreted as ancillary to these purposes. Similar reasoning has been used in the leasing of space to commercial interests for the Marina-based restaurant and for tenants of the Regina Research Park (my emphasis).
There is a noticeable shift in language from the
1999 Master Plan (draft - I can't find the final version online)... which made very clear that commercial use is incompatible with the Centre's mandate (they go to great pains to position commercial activity as ancillary to the primary purposes of the Centre, as defined by the Wascana Centre Act).
Normal School Preservation
The old Normal School, a prominent and well-liked but empty building no longer occupied by the Faculty of Fine Arts, now needs a new use compatible with the purposes of the Centre. This may prove difficult, as commercial or residential use may be the only viable option. If so, this could put a literal reading of the Act in conflict with the broader mandate of preserving the heritage and cultural values in Wascana Centre (my emphasis).
The preservation of an architecturally and historically important building through any reasonably compatible use could be seen as serving two of the purposes defined by the Act (the advancement of the cultural arts and the enlargement of educational opportunities). The occupation of the building—if leased to commercial or residential use—could be interpreted as ancillary to these purposes if they are not compromised in the process. A precedent to this approach can be found in the leasing of research space to commercial interests on the University lands and the Marina restaurant (my emphasis).
As I said, things could change, but nothing in any of the successive WCA Master Plans supports
significant commercialization in any part of the Centre.
(as an aside, it's interesting to note the broad powers given to Wascana Centre Authority under the Act: the WC Master Plan trumps any conflicting Official Community Plans (unlikely, given that the City sits on the WCA Board, but still...); and they have the power to expropriate land within or outside WCA (but within the City of Regina)...section 50 "
Suppression of Resistance [to expropriation]" has particularly interesting wording, a judge may direct "
...the sheriff to put down the resistance."
)
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