After a two-year wait, renovations are proceeding on the former TravellerB次元官网网址檚 Inn at 120 Gorge Rd. E., purchased by the City of Victoria in 2010 to create affordable housing.
Renovations will likely begin in the next couple of weeks on the smaller of the two structures on the lot.
The larger building has a different fate. Two months ago, stakeholders agreed to demolish and rebuild.
B次元官网网址淭he cost of the renovation on the three-storey building was so close to building new, it made more sense to build to suit,B次元官网网址� said Bruce Parisian, executive director of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 ecstatic.B次元官网网址�
With help from various funders, the city will convert the old motel into subsidized housing for aboriginal tenants, with the Friendship Centre overseeing operations.
It is the second conversion of its kind for the city. Last month, renovations were completed on Queens Manor, another former TravellerB次元官网网址檚 Inn.
Parisian sees many advantages to building new, rather than renovating the whole motel.
B次元官网网址淲hen you build to suit, obviously itB次元官网网址檚 a lot better living conditions,B次元官网网址� he said. It will also allow for two- and possibly three-bedroom units for larger families.
Plans for the new building also include a common room, where the Friendship Centre can host celebrations and operate such programs as cooking classes.
B次元官网网址淲e call it the village,B次元官网网址� Parisian said. B次元官网网址淲e want the community to be able to meet and support one another.B次元官网网址�
The timeline for the new portion of the housing complex is unclear, as it requires community consultation.
Renovations to the existing building, however, will progress much faster. Parisian hopes to see the facility operational by the end of next year.
B次元官网网址淭hese studio units will be housing for aboriginal youth coming out of care, or for very young families with one child, or grandmothers raising grandchildren,B次元官网网址� he said.
To date, 70 people have taken a course called ready-to-rent, in anticipation of living in the building.
In total, the city has budgeted $1.1 million for the job, which represents a middle ground figure between the cityB次元官网网址檚 original estimate of $400,000 and the friendship centreB次元官网网址檚 estimate of $4 million.
Funding will come from the Victoria Housing Trust Reserve ($390,000), Capital Regional District Housing ($100,000) and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation ($624,000).
rholmen@vicnews.com
