Wavegarden Cove Installation Planned for British Columbia
A development company called Tiger Bay Development submitted an application for the rezoning of an old gravel pit and 116 acres of brownfield into a large multi-use development centered around a 6-acre wave pool.
The development, called South Britannia, will use Wavegarden Cove technology like The Wave in Bristol to produce waves that appeal to beginners, advanced surfers and everyone in between. The advanced areas in the pool will produce waves up to 6.5 feet (2m) high on the face of the wave with shapes that vary from high-performance ripable walls to barrels. The intermediate areas will produce waves that are around 1m (3.5 feet) high with a open face that is ideal for practicing turns. Beginners will ride knee-high whitewater rollers in the shallower parts of the pool.
When it opens to the public in 2023, the waves produced at South Britannia’s wave pool will be very similar to the waves on display at the Wavegarden R&D center in Spain (below). The Wavegarden Cove technology can create up to 1000 waves per hour, so each surfer can expect to ride 12-15 waves every one-hour session.
Additional recreation options will include a bike pump-track, rock-climbing wall, playground, skate park, and outdoor field for recreation and events. The pedestrian-oriented town center will offer restaurants, retail, brewery and other services. Tourists will have a variety of accommodation options ranging from hotels to glamping facilities. A residential community will offer 1000 new homes and condos.
The Tiger Bay Development team is prioritizing environmental preservation and protection as well. 43% of the land will be dedicated to parks and green space, including 31 acres of reinstated forest. The team is also planning to revitalize Minaty Bay public park and beach, which is one of the only public beaches in the Howe Sound.
At an “open house" event in September 2019, Tony Petricevic (head of development for Tiger Bay) said construction could start 18 months after rezoning and an Official Community Plan amendment. The first phase of development, which will include the wave pool and part of the Town Center, would open to the public in 2023 if everything goes according to plan. The rest of South Britannia will take another 20 years to complete.
When the entire project is complete, South Britannia expects to employ 630 people and serve as home to 2500 people.
