An artist’s conception of The Reach.
The TRU Community Trust (TRUCT) announced the launch of Kamloops’ newest neighbourhood today.
“The Reach” on the Thompson Rivers University campus is the first planned community on a university campus in the interior of British Columbia. Following in the tradition of planned campus communities at universities across Canada, The Reach will make the most of the views and vitality of TRU, and will transform its modern campus into a vibrant neighbourhood.
“The Reach is the first step in the realization of the university village concept which envisions a vibrant campus neighbourhood where people live, work, learn, and play. This will enhance the TRU experience and be of significant benefit to the broader Kamloops community,” said Alan Shaver, TRU President and Vice-Chancellor. “It is expected to create income to support students and research.”
The TRUCT, created in 2011, manages development on TRU property that will transform university land assets into a source of dedicated funding to support TRU students and academic activities, and is similar to the mixed-use developments at UBC (Wesbrook Village) and SFU (UniverCity).
Today, representatives of TRU and the TRUCT, along with Kamloops MLAs Terry Lake and Todd Stone, unveiled the brand for a planned neighbourhood founded on a “people first” principle, designed to be pedestrian-oriented and to maximize places and spaces for social interaction.
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“It’s exciting to be introducing The Reach, a generational real estate project, to developers across the country. We have an opportunity to transform the campus at TRU into a vibrant, community, with a profound and meaningful sense of place,” said Frank Quinn, TRUCT Board Chair. “We are proud to be a partner in bringing this important aspect of TRU’s Campus Master Plan to life.”
TRU refined its Campus Master Plan in 2013 to reflect the campus expansion of the last decade and to set the stage for future development initiatives in support of the new academic plan, research plan and enrolment growth.
Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone.
The concept for outdoor public spaces includes environments that invite all community members to relax, meditate, exercise, connect and find peace in the outdoors. Transit- and bike-friendly, the neighbourhood will realize the TRU Campus Master Plan’s vision for a university village.
The Reach – at a glance
- 90 developable acres
- 3 million sq. ft. of new, urban residential living space to be developed
- 40,000 sq. ft. of new office space to be developed
- 78,000 sq. ft. of new retail space to be developed
- future site of hotel, urban market, pharmacy
- featuring integrated outdoor public spaces connected by pedestrian-only and dedicated cycle paths
The first development opportunity
Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake.
With the launch of The Reach, the TRUCT also announces its first Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting developers from across the country to submit bids to assume the role of premier builder at the The Reach.
The first RFP will focus on the development rights on a residential/market condo parcel zoned CD11 with up to 90,000 buildable square feet. Parcel E is located on prime view property overlooking the Thompson rivers and will offer the successful proponent the status of premier builder for a new generation of development. The successful proponent on these rights (a 99-year lease) will build and market this new residential development.
More information
Finlay Sinclair
President and CEO
TRU Community Trust
778-491-8393
fsinclair@truct.ca
http://truct.ca/opportunities/
http://reachkamloops.com
Alan Shaver
President and Vice-Chancellor
Thompson Rivers University
250-828-5001
president@tru.ca
