Plans to redevelop Kelowna’s oldest senior’s complex have been in the works for some time.
Now, with BC Housing’s help, the affordable housing complex looks like it may just get off the ground.
“It’s an intense whole journey, believe me.” says Chair of the Pleasantvale Home Society Catherine Comben.
The journey has been decades in the making.
The Pleasantvale complex in Kelowna’s north end was first built in the 1950’s through a partnership with area Rotarians, The City of Kelowna and the provincial government.
More than 60 years old the complex currently has 50 bachelor and one bedroom suites for seniors at affordable prices but is long over due for an overhaul.
But past efforts to try and build a modern complex while keeping it affordable had stalled the project says Doug Gossoo, also with the society, “It’s something we’ve been trying to do for many, many , many years but kept coming up with different kinds of issues.”
Comben explains the complex now has some very low rents and they wanted to keep it that way, “We also needed to produce a more up to date complex and still comply with bylaws and building codes and that sort of thing.”
Now a new partnership with BC Housing has made the possibility of a new complex a reality.
Three concepts have been developed with input from the Pleasantvale residents themselves and the general public is being encouraged to weigh in as well.
A series of open houses are taking place with the final decision to be decided upon by the end of March when, Comben says, it will be taken to Kelowna City Council for approval.
“We’re looking forward to seeing residents in some really new housing. I think it will be wonderful.”
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