The sod has been turned for a new 24-unit seniors rental apartment development in Battleford.
The apartments are being built by BridgeRoad Developments, Inc., who have built 22 other projects in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The $7.2 million project, dubbed Battleford West Place, is being backed locally by a group of 10 investors who hold 90 per cent of the ownership, with BridgeRoad Developments holding the remaining 10 per cent. Many of those backers, which includes former mayor Chris Odishaw, were in attendance for the sod-turning.
That ceremony was done by virtue of a giant backhoe provided by Sanburn Construction Ltd., ridden by Battleford Mayor Derek Mahon.
The lot will be home to three-storey rental accommodations.
The idea of building 55-plus accommodations is not a new one for the Battlefords, but the difference here, according to Tamara McMurren of BridgeRoad Developments, Inc., is that this is "non-traditional seniors housing."
Among other things, they are "large executive-style suites with a common space for tenants to use," said McMurren.
Odishaw touts the idea that these are rentals. "It will give 24 families the opportunity to live in a state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line home, without that investment of $350,000 to $400,000," he said.
"It's a great package for people who are 55-plus," said Odishaw. "You sell your home, you move into a rental and then you enjoy the extra cash that that home has brought to you for the last few decades."
Odishaw credits the Town of Battleford with providing a five-year tax incentive to allow the project to go ahead.
The development is located on Telegraph Road and 5th Avenue West across from the Tim Hortons location in Battleford. BridgeRoad is also the contractor for the project.
McMurren said the housing will benefit the community as it "keeps local people in the area that have worked here, raised their families, want to retire in the area."
The project has been in the works, said McMurren, for close to a year. But it started coming together only over the last number of weeks.
Since initial meetings on the project in February, 18 deposits have been made for the 24 suites, said Odishaw. He expects they will be able to find 24 families for the project very quickly.
The plan is to build the property over the next year and be open in 2015. McMurren expects tenants will be able to move in by next fall.
Mayor Derek Mahon is pleased with the addition of the development to the growing Battleford West subdivision, which now includes a Tim Hortons, Kramer Ltd. and soon the Co-op.
"It's an important piece of the puzzle here in Battleford West," said Mahon, who says more is on the way with a lot of land available.
"There are some more developments proposed that are moving down the road, so we're waiting for those announcements to come. But with the Battleford West Place here it brings us to just under $20 million - about $19 million and change - for this year to August, so that's a good thing."
Former mayor Odishaw is also bullish on the future.
"The Town of Battleford is alive and well, it is a great community to be in," said Odishaw.
