Smithers Council is considering building a gathering shelter on property originally purchased for affordable housing.
Mayor Taylor Bachrach says they don’t have any current proposals for affordable housing on the property on the corner of Railway Ave. and Queen St.
Council still has to decide on a location for the semi-portable outdoor wood-frame structure. The idea behind the structure is to mitigate some of the poor behaviour happening at Bovill Square and downtown. The cost of the structure would come in at $20,000.
“It’s also something that could be integrated into a future housing project. We haven’t looked that far down the road,” says Bachrach.
The town has set aside some land on the LB Warner property at Main Street and 10th Ave. for an affordable housing development. The Smithers Community Services Association are planning to build and rent 15, two-bedroom units costing an estimated 3 to 5 million dollars. The province is expected to cover 20 per cent of the cost.
The town has yet to work out a final land use agreement for the proposed location. The SCSA has indicated they’re ready with funding to move forward.