"We’ve been waiting a long time for this day, and we’re excited.”
The “day” was Monday when an announcement that an 80-unit housing development at Westminster Highway and No. 2 Road for people with mental illness will finally be built with an estimated completion date of early 2026.
Patti Martin, president of the Pathways Clubhouse Society, was speaking at the announcement, saying the building will provide “better life outcomes for our members.”
The building permit has been issued, according to the city, but this comes five years after city council approved the project and a development permit was issued.
City councillors and one Richmond MLA were at the site on Monday morning and did a ceremonial sod-turning with golden shovels.
Richmond South Centre MLA, Henry Yao, who was at the Monday morning announcement, told the Richmond News the project was supposed to originally break ground in 2021.
However, it was delayed due to environmental studies being done in a pond in the area, and archeological surveys that had to be completed before site work could continue, Yao explained.
One-, two- and three-bedroom units planned
The building will have one-, two- and three-bedroom units for seniors, families and singles.
Sixteen of the units will be at shelter rates for people at risk of homelessness or those who are unhoused. The others will be for “varying levels of income,” Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said at the press conference.
Forty of the units will have rents based on occupants’ income and 24 will be “affordable market rentals,” based on Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s average market rents.
The City of Richmond’s contribution is about $2.2 million in development cost charges as well as the land.
BC Housing is contributing about $9 million for the project.
The six-storey building will be constructed by Heatherbrae and managed by Pathways Clubhouse.
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