A 43 unit affordable seniors housing project in Kamloops is one step closer to completion.
This morning, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at Spirit Square on the North Shore of Kamloops.
The units will be run by Ask Wellness, and Executive Director Bob Hughes says today was the culmination of years of hard work to get the project going.
“We’ve got [the City of Kamloops, ARPA Investments,] Interior Health and Community Living BC,” said Hughes. “There’s nothing more rewarding than to see all these unlikely allies get together and believe in something, and to really see the change in the fabric for the community.”
“Next winter, 43 people will be moving in.”
When fully complete, the project will also see a mix of market housing and commercial space, some of which have already been claimed, according to Joshua Knaack with ARPA Developments, the project developers.
“There are excavators on site, it’s moving. It was a complicated process, but we are through it.”
Mayor Ken Christian was also on hand for the groundbreaking and says the project will help revitalize the area.
“Now that we’re going to have seniors housing right here in this quadrant, I think it’s going to certainly impact the McDonald park neighborhood as well as the Tranquille area,” Christian said.
“With people comes shopping, comes businesses and that vitality that we look for on the North Shore.”
The BC government is putting $4.7 million towards the project, but Housing Minister Selina Robinson said the project is all about the partners.
“It’s a great step,” she said of the groundbreaking ceremony. “The best step will be cutting the ribbon and having people move in. That is always the best step.”
Work is already underway, and if all goes to plan, the senior’s units could be ready by November 1st, 2019.
Groundbreaking at Spirit Square in #Kamloops this morning. @RadioNLNews pic.twitter.com/sQKKhKedrH
— Victor Mario Kaisar (@supermario_47) November 14, 2018