December 2025

Hornby Island Co-op Board Update

The Hornby Island Co-operative Association Board of Directors is pleased to announce its approval to proceed with construction of a new Co-op Store. The new store will be built in the paved parking lot behind our current store, as presented at the Open House by Leckie Studio last year. Construction is expected to start early in 2026 and will likely be completed by Fall 2027. The existing store will remain open throughout construction and will be removed once the new store is operational.

As previously announced, AFC Construction is the construction manager and will have overall responsibility for the project. To reduce cost uncertainty several of the building elements have already been put out for tender. Tenders for wood timber work, being the largest and costliest aspect of the build, have been received and we are pleased to announce Cascadian Wood Tech has been awarded the mass timber contract. Cascadian, operating out of Union Bay, uses a pre-fabricated wood panel process that is ideal for our aggressive construction schedule. Further details on the construction schedule and Cascadian will follow.

Consideration was given to  alternative store locations but, ultimately, the selected site was found to be the only viable choice. Existing Gas Bar infrastructure, including underground storage tanks, makes siting a new store in the Gas Bar lot impossible unless the store is located in the far back corner. That is not viewed as a desirable location for our main store.

The 4 Corners property acquired last Spring is currently zoned residential only. Locating a new store there would require rezoning, a process that could take several years, and there are no assurances it would be granted. Design could not prudently begin until rezoning is complete, meaning a new store on the 4 Corners lot may be 6 or more years out. Extensive remediation would be required for the current store to safely remain open for that duration. The Co-op remains committed to the 4 Corners being the site of community-driven development that is in the best interests of all of Hornby.

The Board thanks AFC Construction, Leckie Studio (architects) and Building Committee members, Alan Fletcher and Michael McNamara for the enormous amount of work and expertise they have brought to this project. We will provide ongoing updates regarding this exciting project. In addition, a public information session will be held in the near future, with the precise date and location still to be determined. 

Submitted by Mike Zelen, on behalf of the Co-op Board