The third phase of the city’s newest neighbourhood may not look exactly as it was originally envisioned.

However, it’s expected to still be a major commercial and residential centre which would include the 300-bed continuing care facility the Yukon government is planning.

At Monday’s city council meeting, members were presented with a new zoning plan for the area which takes into account plans for the continuing care facility.

Also on hand at the meeting were officials with the Yukon government, providing details on the facility identified for a proposed public service lot off Casca Boulevard.

As planning manager Pat Ross noted, while a formal development proposal for the 21,900 square metre facility has not yet been submitted, it’s expected to come forward to the development review committee soon.

“There is concern that a facility of this magnitude could create a significant institutional element in a residential area,” he stated in a report to council.

“The overall size and form of the building, or buildings, will be reviewed during the design phase for the project to ensure it fits within the residential neighbourhood.”

It was also pointed out the location – next to the “town square” area and Keno Way, which serves as the major commercial street – will mean easy access to recreational and commercial activities nearby with the large staff presence at the facility helping to support the commercial businesses that could set up shop in the neighbourhood.

In addressing council on the plans for the facility, government officials showcased plans that would see individual units for residents that run off of a “central spine” hallway – labelled as the “village centre” in diagrams.

The main hallway would also host areas for administration and staff as well as building support.

The first phase of the project would see space for 150 beds along with the main hallway.

“This will include standard beds plus acuity and complex care beds,” officials stated in documents presented last night.

“These beds will be grouped into care pods, with support services shared between pods.”

The second phase would see building for another 150 standard care beds.

Meanwhile, it’s expected at full build-out, a total of 318 parking stalls would be needed under the current bylaw including 220 for staff (120 in phase one, 100 in phase two), 86 for visitors (41 in phase on, 45 in phase two), eight for maintenance vehicles (six in phase one, two in phase two) and four spaces for those with disabilities (two in each phase).

The Whistle Bend site was selected following an evaluation of three potential areas.

“A four-hectare lot was identified by the (land development) branch and Highways and Public Works was directed to follow the rezoning process with the City of Whitehorse,” Yukon government staff noted.

A timeline for the first phase of the project shows plans for a Request for Proposals to go out this month with a preferred proponent to be selected by Oct. 20.

As Anthony DeLorenzo, with the territory’s Department of Highways and Public Works, explained when questioned by council, the process will see the list of proponents shortlisted to three. They will compete on a winning design.

Part of that will include taking into account the energy efficiency of the proposal, he added when questioned about alternative energy sources by Coun. Mike Gladish.

DeLorenzo said he will also look further into work the city has done with ATCO Electric Yukon Ltd. on a potential system for solar storage.

Construction is then anticipated to happen over two years, with the building to be finished by December 2017. Staff training and move-in would then get underway in January 2018.

“At this point, it is anticipated that Phase 2 will begin in 2021 and delivered by the end of 2022. If the demand for beds grows higher than the estimated numbers then the construction of Phase 2 could be advanced earlier,” the documents state.

In addition to including the continuing care facility in zoning planned for the neighbourhood, there are a number of other proposed changes to the zoning plan.

Many of the changes come out of the location of the Phase 3 of the neighbourhood with original plans extending it west of Casca Boulevard.

“However, changes were made to the overall phasing plan to delay the construction of expensive infrastructure, such as pumphouses. This resulted in design changes to Phase 3, and will mean that planning for future phases will also require some redesign as needed,” Ross stated.

Other changes include a redesign of Casca Boulevard so that lots front onto local streets rather than the main road running through the area, and replacing a number of single-family and townhouse lots with multiple-family lots to reduce the amount of infrastructure needed there and increase density.

Also planned are a reduction in the number of intersections on Casca to improve traffic flow and align streets with existing infrastructure where possible, and the addition of lots fronting onto Olive May Way.

There’s also comprehensive zoning for a number of residential areas and commercial space and additional public service lots proposed.

The plan includes a total of 143 lots, expected to house approximately 300 residents (not including residents of the continuing care facility).

Residential lots proposed include 40 small single-family lots, nine large single-family lots, four duplex properties, 53 townhouse lots and 13 multiple-family sites. There are also 35 commercial lots outlined and two institutional lots.

Along with the continuing care facility, the other institutional lot would be on the north side of Keno Way and was planned as “either seniors house or a community use, such as gardens,” Ross said.

Council will vote next week on first reading of the rezoning.

If that goes ahead, a public hearing would be held March 9, with a report on that coming forward at council’s March 16 meeting and second and third readings on March 23.