The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) will be moving to its new office location starting December 20. On December 30, the new office at 770 Harmston Avenue in Courtenay will officially be open to the public.
In 2014, after years of analysis, the CVRD Board determined that based on the current flood prone location on Comox Road, limited space, and expensive lease costs, a new regional office building was a strategic priority.
On August 29, 2017, the CVRD Board adopted the borrowing bylaw for the new office building based on the results of the Alternative Approval Process that occurred July 6 until August 18, 2017. The financing strategy for the office redirects the current $330,000 per year lease payments towards a debt repayment plan. In 2018, Knappett Projects Inc. was awarded the construction contract for the new facility.
“It is very exciting to see the new office come to fruition,” explains CVRD Board Chair Ketler. “Many residents are not aware of the 99 services that the CVRD provides on a daily basis. By having the facility outside the floodplain and with a new post disaster emergency operations centre, those essential services that so many residents require daily will be able to continue in times of need.”
The new office building has been built to LEED Gold standards. Some of the sustainable design elements incorporated within the building include a chilled beam heating and cooling system which is 50 per cent more efficient than a conventional forced air system, LED lighting with timers, drought tolerant landscaping, two public electric vehicle charging stations, and sun shades over windows to reduce heat transfer and glare.
The CVRD main office at 600 Comox Road will have limited services available the week of December 23. The front desk will be open December 23 (8:00 am until 4:30 pm) and December 24 (8:00 am until noon) to assist customers needing to pay bills, buy transit passes or purchase dog licences at the 600 Comox Road location. On these two dates, please park on the road or in the rear gravel parking lot as the front parking area will be closed. The CVRD office will be closed December 25, 26, 27.
An official opening celebration will be happening spring 2020. Details regarding this celebration will be communicated in the coming months.
For more information on the regional office project please visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/regionaloffice or call 250-334-6000.
The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities providing sustainable services for residents and visitors to the area. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.
Media Contact:
To book an interview with Russell Dyson, Chief Administrative Officer, please contact Teresa Warnes at 250-334-6008.