Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

TRANQUILLE MARKET CORRIDOR

Excitement builds for demolition of former North Shore hotel

Jan 10, 2023 | 4:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — Soon, the Northbridge Hotel building won’t be standing.

On January 9th, the City of Kamloops announced plans to demolish the former Northbridge Hotel, which it bought back in 2021 for a little over $7 million.

According to the city’s media release, the former hotel site is intended for market redevelopment.

“I’m really looking forward to when the building is gone and there’s just that big, gaping hole,” Deputy Mayor Dale Bass tells CFJC Today. “Then people can start to imagine what’s going to go there, and then we’ll see something go there.”

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The city also bought the adjoining property on the backside of the hotel at 346 Campbell Avenue. Since that purchase, they have entered a Memorandum of Understanding with BC Housing to develop affordable units for seniors and families.

“We know the backlot — this backlot that we’re standing on right now — will be affordable seniors/family housing. I don’t know how many units it will be. It can be between four and six storeys, depending on what the submission looks like from BC Housing,” NSBIA Executive Director Jeremy Heighton says. “The front lot will be a market–based building, so it will likely be a little bit higher end.”

In a statement to CFJC News, BC Housing says it doesn’t have any details on the project quite yet but plans on submitting a development permit soon.

“BC Housing is working with the City of Kamloops to purchase 346 Campbell Ave., intending to redevelop it as affordable housing for seniors and families in the community. This purchase is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop more affordable housing signed by BC Housing and the City in May 2022…

We do not have any details on the design or size of the building, as the proposed project is still in the early stages of development. BC Housing plans to submit a development permit soon, as part of the regular project process. We will update the community once plans and funding are finalized.” – BC Housing.

The North Shore Business Improvement Association is pleased with the city’s announcement about the demolition and subsequent plans to redevelop the site.

“Really, there are two sides to it. Philosophically, it’s a beautiful investment in the North Shore,” Heighton says. “Practically, it’s changing the nature and the texture of the North Shore, which is what we’ve been after for a long time.”

Demolishing the existing buildings will be a big first step in the process. City staff are currently working on a request-for-proposals (RFP) process for the property, and council is hopeful that the process gets done quickly, so the project can move forward.

“I don’t know the timeline on that, but I know from my perspective and that of most of my colleagues on council, we want to see it done really fast,” Bass says. “It’s going to be another game-changer on the North Shore and on the Tranquille Market [Corridor].”

Demolition is planned for early 2023.