Two more housing projects here were announced this morning by the provincial government, part of a package of five to be built in the north.
The Ksan House Society is getting financing through the provincial BC Housing agency for a 34-unit apartment building it will own and manage at 2801 Kenney St. on the Southside.
And the Terrace and District Community Services Society is getting financing for 43 apartments for senior citizens which will be on the upper floors of a building it wishes to construct on the vacant lot beside its offices on Eby St.
The bottom floor of that building is to contain the Foundry youth mental health service which is run by the community services society.
These two projects come under an affordable housing program with 50 per cent of units meant for households with annual incomes up to $64,000, 30 per cent for households with incomes up to approximately $74,000 and 20 per cent of units for households with very low incomes, including those on income or disability assistance.
Taken together, the dollar value of the two projects is estimated to be more than $25 million.
The Ksan House project will have a mixture as to the number of bedrooms over four storeys, said Ksan House executive director Amanda Owens.
The location on the corner of Kenny and Agar, immediately adjacent to the former Misty River Tackle building, will be familiar to longtime residents as it once contained an apartment building that was destroyed by fire more than 20 years ago.
Owens said the society looked at a number of properties before seizing on this one as its preferred location.
“You look at a number of factors — size, location, zoning,” she said in adding that a rezoning is not needed for a multi-residential use because of the past apartment building on the site.
Owens estimated it will be two years before the doors open.
Terrace and District Community Services Society executive director Michael McFettridge said its project of combining senior citizen accommodation with a youth mental health service was an efficient way of combining two services and financing at one location and in one building.
“For seniors, it’s a great location, close to the mall, the access centre, the Park Ave. clinic,” he said. The building is to be five storeys tall.
The project also follows on City of Terrace studies indicating a need for affordable senior housing.
With BC Housing now providing financing for the senior housing portion of the building, McFettridge said the community services society will be embarking soon on a campaign to raise a final amount of money needed for the Foundry floor.
“We’ll be moving as fast as we can,” he said the work needed leading to a construction start.
These two projects make are part of four the provincial government is now financing to provide housing within Terrace.
The Ksan House Society received a development permit earlier this year for 22 units in a three-storey structure on the 4800 Block of Lazelle meant for women and children fleeing domestic violence.
And the Vancouver-based M’akola Housing Society is about to start construction on a three-storey apartment building containing 48 units, also on the 4800 Block of Lazelle and beside the bowling alley. It’s meant for Indigenous people.
The other three northern projects announced are to provide 28 living spaces for seniors and elders in Fort St. James, 31 living spaces for families, seniors and people with disabilities in Hazelton and 16 living spaces for seniors in Valemount.