News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

By LeRae Haynes

A groundbreaking ceremony next week will celebrate a 33-unit affordable housing facility at the Cariboo Friendship Centre. The new facility is scheduled to be opened in July 2010, and has an environmentally sound ‘carbon neutral’ design that will include using materials like recycled shingles.

“As an Aboriginal urban housing provider, we don’t want to cause harm to Mother Earth, and are proud to be part of the LEAD Green (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program,” said Cariboo Friendship Centre Assistant Executive Director Rosanna McGregor.

“We received a $7.2 million grant from the BC Ministry of Housing and Development,” said. “They expressed an interest in this project via an Aboriginal Housing Homeless initiative. “We had to mortgage $507 thousand for the project, and the City waived the developmental cost charges.”

She explained that the new housing units will be one and two bedrooms, based on the long waiting list for their other housing facilities.

“It’s been a long process to get the new facility in place,” she said. “20% of the units will be ‘affordable’, where 30% of your income goes to housing.  The rest will be straight market rent, but still affordable.

“It’s also important for us to be a good neighbour. These will be good tenants with an on-site manager 24/7 to keep things running smoothly. It will be a well-run establishment, just like the other facilities we run. The building will be safe, secure and well-managed,” she continued.

The board of directors at the Cariboo Friendship Centre expected a $2 million mortgage on the property, but Rosanna said that because the costs of construction dropped during the project, the mortgage is significantly reduced---a fact that pleases the board of directors. 

“It has been a lot of work for the past two years: lots of blood, sweat and tears have gone into the project,” Rosanna said, and added that although the footings and foundations are already in at the building site, the ground breaking ceremony will be a symbol of celebration and blessing. “Within the Aboriginal community we use tobacco as an offering, and will bless the ground with that offering. Some of our board members will take us through that ceremony, and also provide Aboriginal hand drumming.”

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