Folks waiting for the new affordable housing project at 420 Downie Street will be waiting a bit longer as the city of Revelstoke and BC Housing work through the lengthy process to get construction underway.
At a meeting on February 8, 2022, Revelstoke City Council gave first and second readings of Bylaws 2311 and 2312 to rezone the property to allow for the development. A public hearing of the bylaws is scheduled for March 8, 2022.
The planned three four-storey buildings will accommodate around 174 dwelling units and are expected to have a housing capacity of approximately 400 people as well as commercial space. The affordable housing units will be owned by BC Housing and are intended to help alleviate the current lack of rental accommodation for families, seniors, and youth working in the community.
BC Housing first acquired the former site of Mount Begbie Elementary school in February of 2019 and hosted a number of community engagement sessions to allow the community to learn more about the project and share their thoughts on its future.
During the February 8 meeting, city council members seemed eager to get the ball rolling on the project and anticipate any possible delays that could slow the start of construction. According to BC Housing, construction will be done in three phases, with the first phase expected to start sometime next year.
“We know residents of Revelstoke are excited about the affordable rental project at 420 Downie Street and we want to thank everyone for their patience as we work through the standard rezoning and permitting process,” a spokesperson for BC Housing said in a statement.
“If passed, we will move forward with the next stages of the project, including selecting a non-profit housing provider to partner with and operate the building.”
Details about how exactly prospective renters will be able to get into one of these new units have yet to be determined. As long as the project passes the public hearing on March 8, BC Housing will then select a non-profit housing provider to partner with and operate the building. Once that partner is selected, BC Housing will work with them to determine how potential tenants can apply and what the selection criteria will be.
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