Construction on the Habitat for Humanity Boundary seven-unit multiplex building on 72nd Avenue has finally been able to commence.
The complex, which will be built with the help of volunteers and those who will eventually live in it, ran into problems when it came to paying property development costs that are required before construction can start.
Rick Friesen, Habitat for Humanity Boundary president, said that the fees for the multi-unit housing were set at $30,800. Paying the fees would have set the projects start date back and so payment was deferred to a later date.
Friesen said that at the moment, they are looking for donations of lumber, such as 2x4 and 2x8 for use in structuring concrete.
At a recent city council meeting, Coun. Chris Moslin suggested that the proceeds from the newly-sold Hardy View Lodge should be put back into the community or put forward to help fund other Habitat projects.
Right now, the money goes to the provincial government and can be dispersed anywhere in the province.
“It was suggested to me by someone in B.C. Housing that the proceeds from that could go from B.C. Housing to Habitat for Humanity Boundary,” Moslin said.
“That way, the money that built Hardy View Lodge, which was built with volunteer labour, which was built on donated land, which had a lot of the heart of the community, would stay in our community and be recycled through Habitat for Humanity.”
Moslin said that council has already written a letter to Minister of Energy and Mines Rich Coleman, asking him to contribute to the project and would be sending a follow-up letter encouraging the proceeds of the sale to go to Habitat.
Coun. Joy Davies suggested including other organizations on top of Habitat.
“We still have homeless people to deal with, as well as the financially or otherwise challenged people, we have single moms with children they are supporting,” Davies said. “I’d be more comfortable if they were included.”
Moslin said that Habitat Boundary had showed its willingness to address the needs of members of the community, such as those with special needs with the multiplex.
“I think the future is there, that these groups – single moms, seniors or perhaps the homeless – can be better served through the model that Habitat is developing,” Moslin said.
Coun. Gene Robert agreed with Davies that other groups, like the Women’s Resource Centre and Boundary Emergency Transitional Housing, should be included but both Moslin and Mayor Brian Taylor were concerned that having too many organizations on the letter would make it confusing.
“I think at this time we’re just going to muddy the waters,” Taylor said. “We’ll see what happens with this request and then go from there.”
Hardy View Lodge was recently sold to Pacific Care Communities, a company out of Kelowna.
To donate to the Habitat for Humanity project, call Friesen at 250-442-2634.