A proposed affordable housing project for seniors is underway in Burns Lake, with the next step being a decision on where to build.
There are two options available, according to a press release issued by the Lakes District Senior Citizen Housing Association (LDSCHA). One is in Village Heights, the Village of Burns Lake's proposed subdivision northeast of the Blue Spruce Trailer court. The other is a parcel of land between Eighth Avenue and Ninth Avenue.
“Finding suitable property has been difficult,” Naida Hazelton, president of the LDSCHA, said in the press release.. “The municipality has graciously offered us land in Village Heights, but that development is not yet serviced. We purchased the Eighth Avenue, Ninth Avenue parcel late last year to ensure that we have more than one potential building site and can start work on a new facility as soon as possible.”
The LDSCHA is currently performing a feasibility study of both sites and will make a decision once the study is complete. After that, there will be community consultation and project planning.
It's not yet known how many units will be in the new building, but there is significant demand for seniors housing in the community.
“Our community has a critical shortage of seniors’ housing,” said Wendy Hiebert, administrator of LDSCHA. “The LDSCHA’s three existing facilities are full, and there is a long wait list for its 56 units. While we believe we can easily fill between 40 and 60 new units, the scope of this project will ultimately depend on the amount of funding available to us. This community has been incredibly supportive of our work in the past, and we hope that senior levels of government will also make significant investments in this new facility.”
