Proposed staging site plan | Photo Courtesy: Taylor Chartrand

Remediation is currently underway on the future site of the 24-unit supportive housing project in Smithers.

The cool part of this entire project? Well, not only will it address a shortage of affordable housing in the community but it will also be assembled in a rather neat way.

Here’s Smither’s Mayor Taylor Bachrach on the construction process for this new building.

“The assembly of this building is fairly innovative. A number of modular units will show up in Smithers on trucks and these units will be assembled into one complex right there on site. The timeline of construction is actually pretty short in comparison to a conventional build.”

The problem with this process is the contractors needed a space in town to stage the units before they’re actually constructed on site.

With any problem comes a solution and that is why the Town of Smithers has agreed to lease the LB Warner lot for $1 per month.

Frank Wray | Photo Courtesy: Town of Smithers

Director of Development Services for the Town of Smithers Mark Allen says the reason for this site choice was simple, security. The LB Warner location offers a locked yard in an unused part of town.

Although Councillor Frank Wray fully supports the 24-unit supportive housing project, he was a bit tentative on leasing the staging site.

“It’s a difficult decision because myself along with the rest of council really want to see this project succeed. At the same time, I feel as though the company didn’t do their homework and now they’re backtracking a little bit.  Unfortunately, when it comes to the construction business there will always be hidden costs and I don’t think the town should have to soak up that cost. In my opinion, the contractor should’ve thought of this in the first place rather than scrambling last second to find a bargained site.”

The modular units will be showing up in the near future and construction on the actual building is set to begin in September.

Town Officials are hopeful residents will be able to move into the complex before the end of 2018.