At Monday night’s meeting, Prince George City Council selected Concept Plan 2 for the Civic Core District Plan (CCDP) and chose to proceed with directing Administration to advance the project to the next phase. This decision marks a significant milestone in the City’s vision to revitalize the downtown core.
The approved plan as highlighted in the report to council includes:
- A performing arts centre situated on the former Four Seasons Pool site.
- An ice arena situated on the current site of Kopar Memorial Arena (further exploration to help determine the best facility size to meet the communities needs).
- A mixed-use hotel next to the proposed performing arts space and a and mixed-use residential development on the current Knights Inn property.
Additional features include options for future pedestrian connectivity, parks and open spaces, and flexible event spaces to support downtown vibrancy.
Council’s selection means the City will now procure consultant services to prepare detailed site design, servicing feasibility studies (including sanitary sewer, water, and stormwater), parking and pedestrian analysis, and project renderings. These steps are critical for moving the plan forward while ensuring feasibility and a clear vision for implementation.
Council were also presented a conceptual plan from Mayor Simon Yu, which they also considered as part of these discussions.
Director of Planning and Development, Deanna Wasnik, emphasized the significance of this decision: “Council’s choice of a concept plan and their direction to move forward with detailed design work is an exciting step toward revitalizing our civic core. This plan reflects the priorities and aspirations shared by the community, while providing a framework for sustainable, phased development.”
The Civic Core District Plan aligns with Council’s strategic priorities to enhance downtown vibrancy, improve quality of life for residents, and foster economic growth.
Next Steps:
Administration will now proceed with technical studies and site planning, ensuring the City is well-positioned for future development and investment opportunities.
This will determine a roadmap for the next step to identify future public and user group engagement. Staff will return to council in 2025 with more details on the plan including details of each facility, economic analysis, a timeline, and financial information.
Engagement so far:
In 2023 the City undertook public engagement on the Civic Core plan, offering a number of community engagement opportunities. These included community round table sessions, pop-up events at markets and an online community survey.
In total there were over 1000 surveys submitted, and all the feedback from this and the in-person sessions was summarized and presented to council. You can read more about the engagement results in the staff report.
More information on the CCDP can be found via the City website here.