Fiji Canada Association building demolished

The Aviara project site preparation continues as the Fiji Canada Association building has been demolished and fenced off.  The commercial building next to it has also been fenced off and will surely be part of the development at Douglas Rd and Halifax St.

This past summer, a commercial building on Gilmore Ave was demolished to begin prep for Aviara.  I noticed that the building next to it on Gilmore Ave has also been fenced off and will certainly be part of the project.  The only thing that will remain on the triangled parcel of land will be the Tierra Sol building that sits at the corner of Gilmore and Halifax.

Prep for Aviara has begun

Another development by Ledingham McAllister began preparation this past summer with the levelling of a warehouse on the southeast corner of Gilmore Ave and Douglas Rd.  The longtime presence of the Fiji Canada Association at the corner of Douglas Rd and Halifax St will be gone as the property it has occupied for over 2 decades was sold by the Association to McAllister Properties on December 8, 2009.

McAllister Properties in turn sold the property to LM Aviara Properties which leased the property back to the Association, rent free for 1 year.  The Association has been looking for a new home while it has been allowed to continue renting the building on a temporary basis.  A sign advertising the future Aviara development has been installed at Douglas and Gilmore as well as at Douglas and Halifax.

The project is described on the City of Burnaby site under Major Projects as being a residential high-rise, townhousing, and public park expansion at 1680 & 1710 Gilmore Ave and 1771, 1779 & 1791 Douglas Rd which will include 235 residential units.  The project will also involve the closing of Douglas Rd to allow Willingdon Heights Park to take up the closed portion of the road space.  The project, referenced as REZ # 07-59, is at the second reading stage.