Despite delays, the County of Renfrew is moving forward with plans to build affordable and accessible housing units in the City of Pembroke.
After going back to the drawing board to try and find cost savings, the county has awarded +VG from Ottawa the contract to design the units at the corner of Lea Street and Douglas Street in Pembroke.
Plans are to build at least 12 new bedrooms. Council had previously discussed six two bedroom units with a seventh unit for a dedicated area for Personal Support Workers (PSW’s) and community paramedics to use. The new designs and plans for the affordable units will come back to the county for consideration at a later date.
Director of Development and Property Craig Kelley says the plan is to build and have the units occupied by early in the spring of 2023.
Work was supposed to start this spring, but it now looks like construction will begin in the fall. Kelley indicates the build would cost roughly $1.75-million.
Chair of the Community Services Committee, James Brose, is confident in the ability of county staff to pull off the project with the tight timelines.
Director of Community Services Laura LePine says the county has received $2.1-million in funding through various sources.
Killaloe-Hagarty-Richards Mayor Janice Tiedje commented that it would be nice to see the affordable and supportive units built in the County of Renfrew, instead of the City of Pembroke.
The units will be built on property owned by the Renfrew County Housing Corporation in the City of Pembroke and the design of the build would be used a template for other similar projects across the county.
County Councillor Dan Lynch warned about the cost of construction materials saying the addition to the library in Arnprior that was going to cost $600,000 is now $1.4-million.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)
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