Letter dated September 8, 2020 from the Adams Family, Re: Westurban Developments’ Application – 9 Erskine Lane

Re: Westurban Developments’ Application – 9 Erskine Lane

We are writing with respect to the above noted application on our family’s property located at 9 Erskine Lane.

We’ve given a lot of thought about what issues we’d like to touch base on regarding the sale of our property and decided we would start with a bit of our family’s history and long-standing presence in the community of View Royal.

Firstly, Erskine Lane was named after our Mother’s Great Grandmother. It was purchased by our Mother’s Aunt in 1934 and was later bought by our parents in the early 60’s. Prior to purchasing 9 Erskine Lane our parents purchased and owned 6 acres on Game Road which was located at the dead end of Erskine Lane. That land was cleared of most trees to create a working farm with a variety of animals such as dairy cattle, horses, pigs, ducks and geese, as well as many other beef cattle. Our parents moved to 9 Erskine Lane with 5 kids in tow after purchasing the property from our mom’s aunt. In the years that followed, we became a family of 13 and therefore our mother had no choice but to stay home to raise her children. We all grew up and went to school in this once quiet, removed rural community. Our whole family was heavily involved in the local Saanich Peninsula 4H clubs breeding, raising, selling and showing animals from the farm land our parents once owned.

After our parents divorced, the properties were separated, our father retaining the farm land on 17 Game Road and our Mom retaining 9 Erskine Lane. Our Mom’s property taxes increased dramatically because it was no longer attached to the farm land status. Our Mom had no means to afford the property taxes as well as to maintain the home finances, she therefore obtained a reverse mortgage to cover the ongoing financial bills she was faced with. Our father’s property was later sold to the Ministry of Transportation & Highways. This portion of land now has Watkiss Way running through it as well as the Stone Ridge housing development. There is still a small portion of undeveloped farm land remaining where Game Road starts and ends.

Fortunately, Mom was approached by the Ministry of Transportation & Highways advising that they would be expropriating a strip of her property prior to Watkiss Way going through and the new entrance to Erskine Lane for their highways project upgrade closing Erskine Lane off from Helmeken Road. We engaged the services of a lawyer and were able to use View Royal’s Official Future Community rezoning designation plan to secure enough money, based on the highest and best use of Mom’s property, for her to remain in the house and live comfortably. It was with the proceeds from this expropriation that financially allowed our Mom to pay off her reverse mortgage and remain in the house for the foreseeable future.

Following a stroke in the early 1990’s, the whole family discussed different living options with Mom as she was left with severe physical challenges but she wouldn’t hear of it. She was not leaving the property she loved, in a community she adored.

Instead, we went to work on renovating the house inside and out as best we could, installing ramps, rails, level entry deck sliding glass door and bathroom renovations and much more to keep her in her home as long as possible.

Mom passed away in June of 2017 and it was her wish to have the property sold and the proceeds distributed amongst her beneficiaries. As you can imagine, from our family’s point of view it has been a very difficult and emotional process.

Over the years our family watched as the area was being developed starting with the Vic General hospital, the widening of the Trans Canada highway and the development of #14 Erskine Lane shortly after Watkiss Way was completed.

When we put it on the market in the Spring of 2019, we had multiple offers. Although Westurban was the successful Buyer, the amount of their offer was well below that of another offer. We chose to work with Westurban for the following reasons.

1. They are local to Vancouver Island;
2. They are highly experienced and professional;
3. They had an established working relationship with View Royal and have done other successful projects within the community;
4. They are community minded and ethically driven to create a project that will fit in with our and View Royal’s vision;
5. We were familiar with their outstanding quality of workmanship and knew they would create something special that would leave a lasting impression.

Some of us still reside in View Royal and it was important that the property be sold to a developer who would respect the land, work cooperatively and create something that would be beneficial to the community and its surrounding area.

Please keep in mind that we too, as a family, stood and watched as every tree was taken down on our quiet little street to allow for a townhouse project in the mid 90’s. We knew then, as we know now, that everything changes with time and communities grow. Hospitals are built, highways are constructed, amenities are required, and housing developments are desperately needed. We know this as we’ve seen the changes and growth that have taken place in our community of View Royal over the last 60+ years.

Westurban has listened, taken into consideration and cooperated fully with View Royal’s requirements, requests and suggestions; redesigning, amending and redrafting their plans as well as providing service upgrades, sidewalks, community park, tree replacement program, significant set back changes and much more. We truly feel they have done everything, and then some, to make this an incredible, community minded, standout project within the Town’s Hospital City Centre and will be providing much needed housing/rental accommodation within a municipality that needs it.

They have taken the time to get together with us to review their plans and discuss changes along the way. They have been professional and accommodating beyond belief during this lengthy and stressful process and, on behalf of our family, we are grateful for their patience, perseverance and understanding.

Thank you for your consideration.

Regards,

The Adams Family