A year has passed since the papers were signed for the multi-storey Wharton Street development but construction has not yet started.
The documents for the multi-storey development were signed a year ago, on Aug. 16, 2012.
At the time, Randy Gibson, one of the developers, said the target for groundbreaking was February, 2013 with the completion of the first building expected early in 2014.
The project’s value was estimated at between $90 and $120 million.
Municipal planner Ian McIntosh said the proponent of the project, Danny Nonis, had serious health problems in early spring and as a result, the entire project was put on hold.
Nonis is now recovering and the municipality will soon learn the status of the project.
“They’re very keen about this project,” McIntosh said of Nonis and the other developers.
Because of the scale of the project and because it involves municipal land the time frame is lengthy.
This is the third time a proposal for the municipally-owned property on Wharton Street has come before municipal council.
The Miekeljohn proposal and Mike Rink’s proposal both did not proceed.
While Rink had expressed interest in the project, an agreement was not signed. That plan expired in January, 2011.
The property was re-evaluated on March 28, 2011.
Once a development begins on the property, McIntosh expects other projects to follow.
“I think it’s going to be a catalyst for a lot of development in Summerland,” he said.
Mayor Janice Perrino said she is waiting for the project to proceed.
“I’m anxious to see this go forward, but I’m just as pleased there’s not a hole in the ground,” she said.
If the project should come to an end now, she said the municipality would seek another developer.
“It will happen,” she said. “It’s just not happening as quickly as any of us would like.”