It’s not every day that you invite the Premier into your apartment to chat but for one Kelowna resident that was a reality on Wednesday as part of the Pleasantvale affordable housing complex’s grand opening.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow.Clark and Evans chatting in Evans' room at Pleasantvale on Wednesday.
Carol Evans, 74, was the third person that moved into the new facility on Jan. 19.
“My best friend moved right across the hall from me on the 18th,” Evans smiled. B.C. Premier Christy Clark knocked on her door and the two discussed everything from Evans moving into the new building to staying active as a senior.
The facility’s official ribbon cutting debuted 50 new affordable housing units for seniors and 20 affordable townhomes for families with low to moderate incomes.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow.The main Pleasantvale building has 50 units for senior citizens.
Seniors can enjoy an outdoor garden area and amenities space with a public kitchen, something Evans said has helped her meet plenty of new people.
Pleasantvale was built in the mid-1950s with 50 units for seniors on the 600 block of Richter Street. In 2013, the site of the aging building was chosen for redevelopment.
This was much needed, according to Evans who said affordable housing for seniors is very difficult to find.
“It was a matter of having to pay for what was available,” Evans said. “Thank god I was able to budget enough because I was a single parent by the time my kids were 10 and 11.
“Living here to have that extra little cash flow in a month is just wonderful.”
Photo Credit: KelownaNow.
The rent for the one-bedroom units for seniors is $667 per month, while the family townhomes are between $990 for a two-bedroom and $1,100 per month for a three-bedroom home.
The Governments of Canada and British Columbia provided a combined investment of over $5.6 million for the project. The Society of Hope, a local non-profit society is managing and operating the development.
Clark was happy to tour the facility and show it off, she admitted that the province’s housing situation still needs work.
For now, they are investing in affordable housing projects and providing cheques for direct rent subsidies so people don’t have to move. More than 102,500 B.C. households benefit from provincial social housing programs and services.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow.Along with the main unit, there are also 20 new townhouses for low-income families.
The goal, though, is to have more homeowners.
“We have to do a lot more, and we’ve already begun, to make sure the dream of home ownership stays within the reach of the middle class,” said Clark. “That’s true in Vancouver, that’s true in Kelowna and that’s true in Maple Ridge.”
The B.C. government arranged approximately $12.4 million in construction financing and provided the land, originally donated by the Pleasantvale Homes Society and the City of Kelowna, valued at $2 million.
Also in attendance for the event was Stephen Fuhr, Member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country, Mayor Colin Basran and Norm Letnick, local MLA.
