Island Development Pushed

Actress Pamela Anderson is fast-tracking her $50-million waterfront development on Vancouver Island, saying it's time to strike with the economy in recovery and the province attracting a global audience for the 2010 Olympics.

The actress, best known for her role in the TV show Baywatch and her Playboy cover shoots, said the planned 83-unit condo and townhouse development in her hometown should not be put on hold.

Earlier this month, news reports said Anderson and former NHL player Geoff Courtnall were putting the Arcadia at Oyster Bay project on hold until real-estate markets improved.

But Courtnall said this isn't true.

"She was quite adamant that we have to take advantage of the Olympics, with so many people from all over the world coming here or watching it on TV," he said.

"And the economy seems to be settling down. We're going to move forward."

Arcadia will have five- and six-storey condo towers, with 26 units each, as well as 11 townhouses and 20 waterfront homes.

It's a two-hectare site where Anderson's family once operated a summer camp for kids.

Most of the units will be priced in the $400,000 range, with nothing over $1 million.