Good news from the B.C. government for longtime Lumby residents.
More seniors in the village will have access to affordable homes, with construction beginning on a 20-unit housing development to be known as Cottonwood Place, announced by housing minister Ravi Kahlon on Monday, Jan. 29.
“Through our Homes for People action plan, homes like these are providing seniors throughout British Columbia with the supports they need, in homes where they feel safe and connected,” said Kahlon. “Cottonwood Place will provide another affordable option for seniors who want to live independently in the community they know.”
Cottonwood Place (at 1761 Glencaird St.) will be a three-storey, 20-unit building for seniors who live independently. The single-bedroom units will be adaptable, with three of them wheelchair accessible. The development will include a fully accessible common space, vehicle parking and an enclosed scooter-parking room on the main floor.
Vernon Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu said Cottonwood Place will offer all the amenities residents need to feel safe and secure, and stay connected to the village.
“Our government has built more than 700 homes in the North Okanagan since 2017 and we continue to work hard to create affordable housing for our seniors so they can age in place in the communities they love and call home,” said Sandhu.
This building will be the third in a campus of seniors’ housing operated by the Lumby and District Senior Citizens Housing Society (LDSCH). It is close to local amenities, such as the municipal hall, post office, health-care providers and the Old Age Pensioners Hall.
“Developing affordable housing for seniors in our community is a top priority,” said Kevin Acton, Lumby mayor. “To show our commitment and support, we have made an in-kind donation of more than $60,000 thus far and donated a 0.3-hectare piece of land. The project will also have a permissive tax exemption.”
Recognizing extreme temperatures can have a significant impact on seniors, Cottonwood Place will be constructed with mechanical cooling and heating. This includes through-wall heat pumps in the corridors and a split-system heat pump in each residential unit to cool and heat each home. Supplementary heat will be provided in each unit through an electric backup heating coil.
“We would like to thank every level of government for the support they have given to getting this project off the ground,” said Joe Deuling, LDSCH president. “We look forward to working with all partners for a successful completion.”
Construction of Cottonwood Place is expected to be completed in 2024.
This story was updated Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 11:12 a.m., to correct completion date
READ MORE: Vernon Search and Rescue find lost snowboarders
READ MORE: WorkBC guides Vernon woman switching careers to success