The Sechelt Indian Band's Tsain-Ko Shopping Centre next to Extra Foods in Sechelt is well underway in bringing new businesses to the site, including Starbucks, a beer and wine store, an A&W, a dollar store, an insurance agency and a movie store. The Toronto Dominion - Canada Trust bank will be the first of the phase two businesses to open, with the opening date set for Dec. 12, according to SIB public works director Philip Strain. Beside the 5,028 sq. ft. bank, next to the highway, contractors have poured the foundation for a Starbucks coffee shop. The outside of the building should be done by February, 2006, then the inside will be completed and ready to open in April, Strain said. Between the two will be an outdoor atrium with a fountain and four totem poles. Both the bank and Starbucks will have drive-thru windows. The shopping centre will have a new entrance off the highway at Chelpi Avenue.
On the opposite side of the lot next to the Extra Foods store will be a strip mall with a drive-thru A&W restaurant, a beer, wine and liquor store, a dollar store, an insurance agency and a Movie Gallery store, according to site plans. The businesses filling the remaining six units have not been confirmed. The businesses will lease the units from the Band. Strain hopes to get a building permit approved for the phase two strip mall on Dec. 5 through the Sunshine Coast Regional District. If approved, construction would start Dec. 9, he said. The businesses would open sometime next summer, depending on what stores go in.
The storm, sanitary, sewer and water lines under the phase two site's ground were completed this week. Then the crew began grading to prepare for paving. Strain expected the paving surrounding the bank area to be complete in time for the Dec. 12 opening. The electrical work and street lights still need to be done.
The third phase will run beside the phase two strip mall at the back of the lot on the highway side. The businesses going into phase three are not yet confirmed. Phase two will have 278 parking stalls, and phase three will have 205 stalls, according to the plans.
On any given day, there are about 30 people working on the site, Strain said.
At the Oct. 27 SCRD board meeting, SIB Chief Stan Dixon said a Taco Bell will be coming to the shopping centre, but Strain could not confirm it.
In an interview, Dixon explained the importance of the shopping centre to band members, including the creation of jobs and elders' accessibility to nearby shops.
"The mall is a very significant factor in the Sechelt Indian Band's growth pattern," Dixon said. The totem poles will be significant, representing the Band's land and culture, he added.
The past council put the mall site in place and Construction Aggregates levelled the site, Dixon said. He said the bank has already hired a band member and also three band members were working as carpenters on the bank building.
