Politicians gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony in Edmonds Tuesday to mark the start of construction on a 91-unit seniors housing complex.
They then walked down the road for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a recently completed 90-unit affordable housing project on 15th Street, across the street from Ernie Winch Park. The new building across the street from Ernie Winch Park includes two-, three- and four-bedroom units, including five designed for disabled residents.
Together, the two projects will replace the old Cedar Place housing complex on an adjacent 14th Avenue lot, which now sits empty, boarded up and behind a fence.
Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley praised the project for its strategy of replacing outdated housing without displacing tenants. Residents from the old buildings were able to move into the new one soon after it was completed and are now paying subsidized rents pegged to 30 per cent of their income, he said.
The city contributed $8.5 million directly and $28.5 million indirectly to the project, Hurley said.
The mayor said Tuesday’s update was a step in the right direction towards improving the affordability of housing in the city.
"It's good progress but we need more housing like this – much more," he said.
The old Cedar Place buildings will be demolished to make way for the seniors housing (expected complete by early 2021), plus five condo buildings built by developer Ledingham McAllister.
Burnaby–Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan praised the model used in the development that saw B.C. Housing, the provincial government and the City of Burnaby partner to make it happen.
“It’s through these innovative public and private partnerships that we’ll be able to deliver more affordable rental options for seniors and families,” he said.
