琉璃神社 city council has deferred its decision on whether it will endorse plans for a culinary school at Summerhill Pyramid Winery.

City staff recommended council鈥檚 support for the concept of an educational culinary facility built on the Summerhill Pyramid Winery property located on Chute Lake Road. If council gave the thumbs up, the project would鈥檝e gone to the provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) for consideration.

But council tabled the discussion on Monday (March 1), wanting to first hear from the developer himself.

Stephen Cipes, the owner of Summerhill Pyramid Winery, is the man behind the 鈥淐ulinary College for Humanity鈥� and claims the proposed facility is unique both provincially or nationally. It would include a culinary facility, educational stays, wine tasting, food-producing gardens, and parking. The eight-floor, 35,000-square-foot building would consist of 150 rooms to be used solely by students and faculty, Cipes stated in his application to the city.

鈥淢y concern about this is, while it speaks to a really unique opportunity 鈥� I don鈥檛 want it to be used as a hotel in a vineyard,鈥� said Coun. Mohini Singh.

Several councillors expressed that same fear, saying there鈥檚 a risk of the facility becoming a culinary travel destination rather than the proposed educational use.

鈥淎s somebody who is looking at a seven or eight-storey, 150 unit potential hotel on agriculture land outside our permanent growth boundary, that鈥檚 frightening to me,鈥� said Coun. Gail Given.

Mayor Colin Basran was the lone supporter of the project, saying it would be a tremendous benefit to the city鈥檚 agriculture in the long term.

鈥淎gri-tourism, culinary tourism are the hallmarks of this valley,鈥� said Basran. 鈥淚 appreciate council鈥檚 concerns about the form of the building, but we can control that in the next phase.鈥�

The project should come back before council next Monday, pending Cipes鈥� availability. If endorsed by council and approved by the ALC, Cipes would have to apply for a zoning amendment. At that point, council would give input on building height and proposed use.

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