Olympics help Enderby seniors
Cariboo Press
Thu 23 Oct 2008
Page: 0A10
Section: Vernon Morning Star - Community
Byline: Richard Rolke

The 2010 Olympics will create a permanent legacy for Enderby seniors needing a roof over their heads.

Once the Winter Games wrap up, the provincial government will move 16 units from the athletes' village in Whistler to the old Enderby Hospital site to serve as affordable housing for low-income seniors.

"I'm pleased something will finally happen in that vacant lot," said Mayor Sue Phillips of where the hospital used to sit on George Street until it was demolished this year.

The units are being constructed by the Vancouver Olympic Committee, Rona and Britco, and B.C. Housing will pay for transporting the 16 modular units to Enderby.

In terms of who will manage the units once they are in Enderby, the government will issue an invitation to non-profit societies to submit proposals to operate the development.

One organization that could possibly look at getting involved is the Enderby Seniors Housing Society.

But Pat Stroger, with the society, insists that his group needs some details about what is being planned by B.C. Housing.

"There's a lot of questions that need to be asked still," he said.

Not in the running is the Enderby Memorial Co-operative, which disbanded earlier this year.

"We were trying to get assisted living going and there is a difference between that and supportive housing (for low-income seniors)," said Dee Wejr, who was co-op chairwoman.

Wejr believes the development of affordable housing will benefit the community, but says there is a need to focus on assisted living for seniors who have health issues and can't live alone.

"It breaks my heart when people have to leave the community because there is no where for them," she said.

The co-op had hoped to build assisted housing units on the hospital site, but plans were shelved because of rising construction costs.

The Olympic housing project in Enderby will cost about $5.1 million, including the provincially owned land valued at $1.2 million.

"This is a legacy of the 2010 Olympics and I am ecstatic that a community in my constituency will benefit from it," said George Abbott, Shuswap MLA.

For Abbott, it makes sense to place a housing project in Enderby.

"We do have property that is available and there has been municipal and community activity directed towards housing," he said.

In terms of whether the housing units will be just for low-income seniors or include assisted living services, Abbott says that must still be determined.

"Everyone will look forward to these conversations," he said of the agencies involved.