The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Provided all of the pieces fall into place, construction on a new three-storey, 38-unit seniors housing complex will begin next spring. The Rotary Club of Flin Flon recently advertised the tender for the facility, which would be built on the same property as Rotary Court. "At the moment, I'm very optimistic," said Nazir Ahmad, president of the Housing Board, the Rotary Club committee overseeing the project. The Rotarians will analyze the tenders, which are due October 8, to determine the future of the proposed facility. "We won't know the fate of the project until we know the final tendered price of the project," said Ahmad. "If the tender prices are higher than our projected costs, I think it's going to slow down the process simply because the government has a certain amount of money they can allocate to the project." The club projects the facility will cost $4.28 million, most of which it hopes will come from the Manitoba government. The Rotarians have applied for $1.9 million in funding through the province's Affordable Housing Initiative, the maximum amount available for this particular project. Another $500,000 would be raised by the Rotary Club and the remainder of the costs would be put on an approved mortgage. Ahmad said the club has projected very liberal prices for the project due to the fact that construction costs are typically higher in Northern Manitoba than in urban areas. The proposed facility would feature 12 two-bedroom units, 26 one-bedroom units and a spacious recreational room. A number of seniors in the local area have warmed up to the concept. "Our survey indicates there is a very strong demand," said Ahmad, adding that 25 seniors have expressed interest in living at the complex. If construction begins next spring as the Rotarians hope, the facility would likely be ready for use in the latter part of 2004 or early 2005. The complex would be built alongside Bracken Street amid the five apartment buildings that make up Rotary Court, another seniors housing initiative. Ahmad said this location was chosen because the Rotary Club already owns the land, it is properly zoned and the club did not find other readily available property. The tender was advertised in Flin Flon, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Prince Albert last month. The Rotarians who sit on the Housing Board are: Nazir Ahmad; Lois (Bunny) Burke; Scott Davidson; Buzz Dubreuil; George Fontaine; Elmer Gohl; Reg Hiebert; Bill Jackson; Dave Kendall; John Kirschman; Gordon Mitchell; Jane Robillard; Rob Schiefele; and Murray Smith.
