CITY OF RICHMOND
96
Richmond Olympic Oval for speed skating events . To raise a portion of the funds to build the venue , the City leveraged a number of consolidated waterfront sites in 2006 , selling some of the land to a multi-family residential developer , while retaining a major parcel in the centre on which to construct the Oval . Significant residual funds raised from the disposition were used to replenish and further grow the City ’ s land inventory . The City then entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU ) with the developer to assess the viability of district energy in the area . “ The Olympics opened many doors for the City , including the expansion of rapid transit in our city centre , now called the Canada Line ,” says Brodie . “ The Canada Line bolstered our City Centre Area Plan by creating a lot of interest for developing in our downtown ; staff saw the opportunity to ‘ get ahead ’ of development and they presented the Council with a business case that included a focus on renewable energy and competitive customer rates .”
This foundational work led to the establishment of the City ’ s 2nd district
APRIL 2019