Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction is underway on a 17-acre parcel of land in Coniston where a 55-unit, five-storey affordable seniors housing complex will be constructed.
Officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the construction site this week to announce a $18-million low-cost insured loan through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – to be paid back through a 50-year mortgage.
The project, a 55,000 sq. ft., five-storey, 51-unit building located on a plot of underutilized land donated by the City of Sudbury just outside of Coniston, adjacent to a recreational trail. It was developed by the Coniston Non-profit Seniors Housing Corporation, designed by Coolearth Architects and will be built by Belanger Construction.
The vision was to “create a beautiful, energy efficient, net-zero energy, and functional building, that is also accessible, and designed for aging-in-place.
The City of Greater Sudbury donated land for the development that will include one, two and three-bedroom units that are affordable and green.
“It is imperative that we ensure quality, affordable, and accessible housing units are available to our aging population living in Greater Sudbury,” Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger said at the ribbon cutting.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Coniston Non-Profit Seniors Housing Corporation, our community will soon have an increased inventory of housing units that future tenants can call home. As a proud supporter of this new construction, I am confident this project will have a meaningful and lasting impact on our region.”
The federal government provided $2 million three years ago to upgrade the infrastructure in Coniston that will now allow the seniors apartment to be built.
“The citizens of Coniston believed in this concept from the very beginning, nine years ago. Always supportive, patient and determined, residents of this town know how important this building is for our future,” said Les Lisk, president of the seniors’ housing corporation.