The St. Dunstan’s Anglican parish in Gordon Head is set to list its property for sale, following a decision to downsize and focus on its ministry and community.
The diocese recently approved the sale of the property at 1806 San Juan Ave., setting a minimum price of $7.1 million. A realtor will solicit offers, with final decisions to be made by the church council. No plans have been finalized for the proceeds from the sale.
It was determined that maintaining the aging facility, built in the 1960s, was no longer sustainable. Beginning this month, St. Dunstan’s congregation will amalgamate with St. Peter’s Anglican Church.
Efforts to redevelop the site began in 2022 when the diocese received a $150,000 grant from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to explore adding affordable housing and a new worship space. However, it was determined that the project would not generate enough capital to support both goals.
A following attempt to sell an undeveloped section of the property did not result in any offers, as developers expressed concerns over municipal approvals.
Saanich News reached out to the district for more information on potential uses for this property in the heart of Gordon Head, located near several schools.
Currently zoned as P-1R (Assembly Zone Restricted), the 8,048-square-metre (two-acre) property usually allows large gatherings uses, including churches, community centres, schools, and museums.
According to Saanich’s official community plan (OCP), this land is designated as "institutional," meaning it is primarily intended for government or community-related uses, district planners noted. The OCP further recognizes the potential for these properties to evolve, allowing for uses such as non-market supportive and affordable housing, as well as small-scale commercial developments.
In an interview with Saanich News, Mayor Dean Murdock shared his thoughts on the potential use of this land, highlighting its central location within the community.
“[This is] an area that is well suited for a potential future use that would ideally include some non-market affordable housing and some commercial services for area residents,” he said. “Gordon Head is one of our most populated neighbourhoods in Saanich. This land… means that it would be ideal for some space that would be attractive for community use.”
While he recognized the land's future potential, Murdock emphasized that any future development would need to be proportional to the surrounding community, as it is not located along a major transportation route. He noted it would have to be “modest in size and complementary to the area.”
Saanich planners noted that any redevelopment efforts would first need to be assessed against both the existing zoning as well as the OCP designation.
“The application process for redevelopment of the property would vary considerably, depending on the proposal, the uses included, and whether or not it would be consistent with the existing OCP designation,” reads their statement. “The District of Saanich has both an informal inquiry process, as well as a more formal pre-application process to discuss potential plans for the site with either existing or future owners.”
