Council approved releasing a proposal package for the former Queen Mary School site which considered the redevelopment of the lands as an affordable housing project, excluding approximately 0.3 to 0.4 hectares (0.75 to 1 acre) of the land to be designated as parkland.

The original development development plan would keep 0.75-1 acre of park space as shown below, including the existing playground (the playground structure is scheduled for replacement in the the 2026-27 Capital Budget) and community gardens:

Staff recognizes the importance of retaining parkland for the West Hill community and have included this as an objective for proposals to meet.

To ensure affordable housing will be affordable for the long-term, Staff recommend that the lands to be developed for affordable housing be leased rather than sold. By maintaining ownership, it provides the ability for the City to stipulate conditions such as construction timeline, selection criteria for tenants, and setting affordable rates.