Chetwynd Gains Seniors Apartments from Olympics

By 250 News

Chetwynd, B.C.- Surerus Place, the first Olympic legacy building to officially open, provides 12 apartments with integrated support services for low-income seniors in Chetwynd.

This building is a result of an agreement between the Province and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), to reconfigure 320 temporary modular housing units from the Olympic and Paralympic Village at Whistler, and relocate and convert them into 156 permanent, affordable apartments in six communities across the province. In addition to Chetwynd, sites in Chilliwack, Enderby, Saanich, Sechelt and Surrey are in development.

The Province provided $3.1 million for this 12-apartment, one-storey building. The land, valued at approximately $90,000, was donated by Lou and Sharon Surerus. Peace River Regional District provided $125,000. In addition, the Province and the District of Chetwynd provided funding for the construction of a street-bridge providing better access to Surerus Place and for water and sewage services to the property.

“Our seniors need more options to live independently as they age,” said Mayor Evan Saugstad, District of Chetwynd. “By adding assisted living and independent seniors housing, we are ensuring that Chetwynd remains an affordable and liveable city at any age or care level.”
Surerus Place includes eight units of affordable supportive housing for low-income seniors and four assisted living apartments. The Province and Northern Health are providing operational funding for the four assisted living apartments. The Chetwynd Senior Citizens Housing Society will manage and operate the development.

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