Backgrounder: Island Economy To Benefit From UVic Tech Park Purchase
The Vancouver
Island Technology Park is on 14.2 hectares (35 acres) in Saanich and is
bordered by the Interurban Campus of Camosun College; the Forestry Research
Centre; the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific; and Layritz Park. The main
building, the core of the former
Glendale Lodge, originally built in 1976, was a home for adults with severe disabilities until it was closed in 1996. After closure, the government and the B.C. Buildings Corporation attempted to implement many alternative uses for the space with the film industry and various government agencies using small parts of the building for small periods of time.
In the fall of
2000, it was announced that the buildings would be renovated for use as a
technology park to create opportunities for the growing high tech sector in
The renovation of the main building was completed early in 2002 for a reported budget of $11.9 million. The extensive renovations include a seismically upgraded concrete structure; fibre optic broadband connectivity; and a 25kv electrical power feed. The U.S. Green Buildings Council presented a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold award to the owners of the park in recognition of its cutting-edge environmental and energy-conscious design.
The 23 tenants located at VITP—a mixture of technology, research, commercial and industrial companies— employ approximately 1,200 people and directly contribute $75 million annually to B.C.’s economy.
For more information visit www.vitp.ca.