The sod has been turned for the first build of the Battlefords chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
The ceremony to mark the beginning of construction took place Thursday afternoon on the 1200 block of 106th Street, where a duplex is going to be constructed. On hand were Habitat officials from the Battlefords and Saskatoon, along with MLA Herb Cox, North Battleford Mayor Ian Hamilton, Town of Battleford Councillor Gordon Yarde and other officials.
The provincial government is partnering with Habitat for Humanity in the build, with funding of $130,000 through Sask. Housing Corporation.
The build will be a duplex, with each home containing four bedrooms and a basement.
Introduced at the event were the families who will be owning the two homes once the build is completed.
Nicole Horse and her sons Zidane and Nicholai were introduced as the future occupants of one duplex; Kristen Scott and her sons Keegan and Jacob will be moving into the other.
The occupants will receive an interest-free mortgage and are also donating volunteer hours and sweat equity towards the build.
Horse said it “means a whole lot” to be able to own their new home. She looks forward to being part of the build. “I can’t wait to actually get my hands in the dirt and start going.”
For her kids, it means their own room and the chance to get their cat back. Their pet had been staying elsewhere while they were in rental accommodations.
Scott, who had been renting in Battleford, said she “couldn’t even express” what it meant to own their own home in that neighbourhood.
“This is our soon-to-be actual home for us,” she said in front of the space where the duplex is to be built.
In addition to the sod-turning event, there was acknowledgement of those making donations to the build.
Among those were Glenn and Caren Hornick, who had donated the 106th Street location towards the Habitat build.
The Hornicks also confirmed at the sod-turning that they will donate an additional lot to the Habitat organization for a future build.
