City council gave the Aboriginal Housing Society of Prince George (AHS) the green light on not one but two proposed projects at Monday night’s meeting.
The first was a three storey, 27-unit, not-for-profit seniors home at 1811 Spruce Street. Self-identifying Aboriginal people will have priority on these units, but the building is open to all seniors.
Given the nature of the potential tenants, Council gave the AHS a variance on a city parking bylaw. A property this size requires 31 parking stalls, but presenters claimed it’d be mostly health care workers and visitors using the spots. Generally speaking, they added the number of low-income seniors with cars is low. Council agreed to lower the number to 17 stalls.
Aboriginal Housing Society Executive Director Christos Vardacostas knows this projects will address the city’s affordable housing issues for years to come.
“There is a need and something needs to be done about that need. There’s a changing demographic where we have more seniors and that will affect this for the next 20 to 30 years, so we need to respond to that.”
Council still has to approve one last reading but the AHS plans to break ground this summer.
Council also okayed a rezoning application on a lot near 17th and Winnipeg for a proposed 250-unit “urban village,” which would have one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for singles, couples, and families. The project is still in its infant stages but AHS plans to also have day and night care, education, spiritual, and recreational centres on site.
Many area residents, a number of whom lived on Yew Street, shared their thoughts on the development. The general consensus was supportive, as long as this project is kept clean and completed. Vardacostas plans to keep engaging these concerned homeowners to ensure this project is up to snuff.
“The community in terms of partnerships and support and direct involvement and the neighborhood as well in terms of addressing their input, their concerns, and also having participation for the neighborhood as well.”
The AHS can now focus on finishing a traffic report and creating a final blueprint.
The urban village is still years in the making. Vardacostas says phase one won’t be complete until at least 2019.
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