Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / PML / Chilliwack City Council approved the issuance of a development permit for a new liquor store at Cottonwood Centre mall at its meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 10); the permit calls for the removal of the food court and a section of Dollarama to make way for the new liquor store. It's believed the new liquor store tenant will be B.C. Liquor.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Cottonwood Liquor Store

Chilliwack City Council approves development permit for liquor store at Cottonwood mall

Jan 10, 2023 | 7:45 PM

CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack City Council approved the issuance of a development permit at its meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 10) that would facilitate the construction of a new liquor store at the Cottonwood Centre mall.

As presented by staff, the proposed liquor store at 45585 Luckakuck Way features a modern design with a variety of aesthetically pleasing materials and a compatible colour scheme, complemented by architectural coordination with the overall design and scale of the building, and on-site parking, maneuvering aisles, a loading area, and a vehicle entrance that meets standards for two-way and singular directional flow around the shopping mall.

Image: City of Chilliwack / Pictured is a rendering of the proposed new liquor store at the Cottonwood Centre mall.

The proposal, as presented by city staff during Tuesday’s meeting, calls for a new liquor store and three commercial retail units, the removal of the existing food court area and a portion of Dollarama, and the creation of a new mall entrance with a separate entry for the proposed liquor store. There will be some exterior changes to the Cottonwood Centre parking lot, loading areas, garbage enclosure and compactor spaces.

The Design Review Advisory Committee reviewed this specific proposal on August 31, 2022. Since then, the applicant has finalized the internal layout with the tenant, which resulted in minor changes to the original design. On December 13, the committee reviewed the changes again and made a series of recommendations.

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Of those recommendations, the committee is encouraging the applicant to develop a lighting plan so that there is sufficient brightness around pedestrian pathways and vehicle maneuvering areas. The applicant is also being asked to place bollards or decorative planters in front of the retail entrances to obstruct any potential vehicular attack or accident from occurring, obscure garbage enclosures so they are appropriately screened from view, and implement a secure shopping cart storage system.

Council members did not have any comment on the proposed liquor store at Tuesday’s meeting; the development permit was approved unanimously by Mayor Ken Popove and all six councillors.

It is believed that the existing B.C. Liquor Store at 7544 Vedder Road, near the former Canadian Tire, will be relocating to Cottonwood Centre, according to a text message Tuesday from Councillor Chris Kloot.

Sardis is not hurting for liquor stores. There is already an existing liquor store across the street from the Cottonwood Mall, the Sardis Liquor Store, and certain liquor is sold within Real Canadian Superstore on Luckakuck. There are also liquor stores on Promontory Road, on Tyson Road near Mt. Slesse Middle School, one in Garrison, one at 6640 Vedder called The Other Liquor Store, a liquor store adjacent to the Jolly Miller, and the existing B.C. Liquor store at 7544 Vedder Road.

On the north side of Chilliwack, liquor stores include Angry Otter, Eagle Landing Liquor, Little Mountain Liquor, Liquor Giant Chilliwack, a liquor store next to Character’s Pub, and Plaza Liquor Store.

Rosedale has three liquor stores, and Cultus Lake and Greendale each have one liquor store apiece.