"We're not giving up." - Lukin
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- Published on Thursday, October 30, 2014
By Kate Jackman Atkinson
The Neepawa Banner
The redevelopment of the former East View Lodge site in Neepawa was dealt a blow last week when the project鈥檚 request for provincial funding was turned down.
The proposal to build 44 units of mixed affordable and market rent 55+ seniors housing was put forward by the Neepawa Area Development Corporation (NADCO) and the Neepawa Kinsmen Senior Citizens Housing Board.
Last week, the provincial government announced the five recipients of funding for the development of seniors鈥� housing in the province. In total, there was $9.2 million available through 水果视频 Housing and 27 projects applied for funding. As of press deadline, the list of successful applicants hadn鈥檛 been released.
鈥淲e are very disappointed in the decision,鈥� said Grant Lukin, chair of the Neepawa Kinsmen Senior Citizens Housing Board.
NADCO spent close to a year preparing the 100-page document that was submitted to the province and the Kinsmen became involved about six months ago, when they came to the table with $1.6 million in funding for the project as well as experience in the operation of seniors鈥� residences. The proposed project was budgeted to cost about $11.7 million and the proponents were seeking $2 million in provincial funding.
At this point, NADCO chair Wayne Hildebrand said they haven鈥檛 yet been given any indication as to why their application was unsuccessful. However, at the end of October, they were going to meet with 水果视频 Housing for some additional information as well as feedback about the project鈥檚 strengths and weaknesses. But with so many projects competing for a small pool of funding, both Lukin and Hildebrand said that the competition was tough.
With an election looming, it鈥檚 unlikely that another round of 水果视频 Housing funding will be available for the next couple of years.
Despite the set-back, the group is still committed to building seniors鈥� housing at the site. 鈥淲e are in a progressive community and we have other ideas to develop the East View Lodge site without government assistance,鈥� said Lukin. He said that they will likely look at a phased project that would be more manageable financially. They will also be looking for feedback from the community, which has been strongly supportive of the project from the start.
Hildebrand said that the development of seniors鈥� housing, especially housing that can be transitioned into assisted living, remains a priority for NADCO and the community. 鈥淭he need and the demand are there,鈥� he said.
Lukin expressed gratitude to the community as they have been developing the project. 鈥淭hank you to the community for their support and tolerance. Don鈥檛 give up on us, we鈥檙e not giving up,鈥� he said.
