Affordable Rental Housing Project

UPDATE: September 2019

Buckley Avenue Affordable Rental Housing Project

Location: 38684 Buckley Avenue (next to the existing skateboard park, just north and west of Howe Sound Secondary School)

With the award of an additional $750,000 in funds from BC Housing in early 2019, detailed design work on the development of a new 5 storey, low to moderate income rental apartment building with 76 units (including 12 studios, 48 one-bedroom units, and 16 two-bedroom units) is now fully underway. Architectural, mechanical, electrical, structural, environmental and geotechnical detailed design and planning work is well underway, along with development of revised capital and operating budgets.

The District has transferred the design and construction project to Sea to Sky Community Services Society (SSCS), who will be working with its team of professionals, with the hope of moving tenants into the building in early 2022. The District will be negotiating a partnering agreement with SSCS to operate the building once it is complete and SSCS will likely be starting a waiting list for the building in mid 2021.

The intent is that detailed designs will lead in late summer to a development permit approval by the District and then submission of the refined designs and budgets to BC Housing for “Final Project Approval,” where hopefully BC Housing will provide the final amount of project design funding to allow construction drawings to be created and construction tenders to be issued, followed by approval of the Building Permit in 2020. Construction procurement is currently scheduled to commence in the first half of 2020, and to be concluded later that year shortly followed by the start of construction.

The building continues to include space on the ground floor for a youth hub, offering recreational, cultural and clinical support services to youth. A public park and playground is also being developed separately on the site, adjacent to Buckley Avenue and in front of the proposed apartment building. The skateboard park will remain on site in its current location. No improvements at the skateboard park are currently planned.

More details on the BC Housing program eligibility definitions and requirements for the Buckley Avenue project can be found here.

The work to date by the District has been funded by $145,000 from BC Housing and $50,000 from CMHC to advance the project towards implementation and to prepare the grant proposal.

To manage and operate the completed facility, the District is planning to procure the services of an independent operator through a competitive process. The District will partner with the successful operating entity to operate and maintain the building. District staff will not operate the building.

The proposed apartment unit sizes are based on BC Housing’s Design Guidelines:

• 12 x Studio units: 351 square feet (sf) – 377 sf
• 48 x One‐bedroom units: 520 sf – 531 sf (four of which are accessible to those with disabilities)
• 16 x Two‐bedroom units: 719 sf – 726 sf

The proposed building design features include:

• Each apartment has its own deck/balcony as private outdoor space.
• An indoor area for bicycle parking and tenant recreational equipment storage.
• The riparian areas and the existing trees outside of the building and parking areas will be retained.
• A small public park with playground.
• The existing skateboard park located on the site will remain.
• A “Youth Hub” on the ground floor that will offer a comprehensive range of recreational, cultural, clinical and wellness service program supports for youth in the community.
• A small management / administrative office.
• A “Heat Room” to allow for heat treatment of tenant furniture.
• A universal public washroom located on the ground floor and is directly accessible from the building exterior for the users of the skate park.

Click photos to enlarge.

Latest exterior drawings:

Latest interior drawings:

Latest site plan:

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