Some Exciting News – 2200 Bank Street is Moving Along Again!

Back in 2021, around the same time Better South Keys Centre was forming, a development proposal came in to build two towers right next to South Keys Station. Four years later, there’s no sign of any development happening there – why? 

While development applications do tend to take a while to clear the City’s processes, this one was unique because of its location next to a transit station and the many public utilities near the property. We were told that lawyers needed to be involved, the file had been escalated, and that SmartCentres (the developer) and the City had been at an impasse for some time. We were starting to worry that this development may never happen.

Fortunately, the two have reached an agreement, and on December 10, City Council approved a “minor zoning bylaw amendment” that will allow this development to proceed. The plan is now for a single tower that will provide 290 units ranging from studios to 3-bedroom units, with two ground floor commercial retail spaces.

The next step will be “site plan approval”, and this is a very exciting one for the community as it will involve design of the South Keys Transit Plaza, a brand new public plaza and park right next to South Keys station, lined with retail from this new development. The City’s 2026 budget has funding for the design of this space, so expect some engagement on this in the new year. 

Back in 2022, BSKC hosted a transit plaza visioning event, where we envisioned some of the elements that could make this place a wonderful public space, including:

• public washrooms
• secure bike parking
• designing the space to provide a feeling of safety (lighting, sightlines, etc.)
• having a local destination with retail where people can meet up (our own “mini-Landsdowne”)
• amenities for children, seniors, and especially teenagers
• lots of shade

You can find the recap and photos from that event here.

What this also means is that the Better South Keys Centre group will start ramping up again after a brief quiet period. If you’d like to continue to support our community engagement efforts – things like our website hosting fee ($175) or occasional room rentals for events ($10-30 per booking) – we’d love it if you’d consider contributing $20 to our operating fund. If so, please e-transfer our executive Kat at katvanderlinden[at]gmail.com (replace the [at] with the symbol). We are not a registered non-profit and are therefore not able to provide any receipts. Any excess funds we gather (within reason) will be kept for future expenses.

See you in 2026!