Elinor Wairner is home in the Village of Lumby again.
The former chair of the Lumby and District Senior Citizens Housing Society (LDSCHS) moved to Coldstream when her husband passed away, because she couldn't find any place to live in the village.
Wariner 鈥� who arrived to Lumby in 2000 from Pemberton with her husband 鈥� returned May 15, as the first person to move into the new Cottonwood Place at the eastern end of Glencaird Street, the latest in seniors housing for the village.
"It's beautiful," said Wariner at the official opening of the 20-unit facility Friday, May 23. "It's nice, well done, everything is accessible. There's lots of room, and the big thing is it's very bright."
Cottonwood Place will provide seniors and low-income residents in Lumby with more choices for comfortable and accessible living.
It's a three-storey building with 20 one-bedroom homes designed for independent seniors. Each home is adaptable, with three fully wheelchair-accessible units, supporting residents to age in place with dignity.
To ensure year-round comfort, energy-efficient heat pumps have been installed throughout the building, providing consistent, climate-controlled living.
The project received full support from village council.
"The village supported this project financially by reducing building permit fees by 50 per cent and donated land that the apartment building sits on," said Mayor Kevin Acton. "The village is grateful for the B.C. government's investment in housing."
Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu called seniors "the heart of our community," and that they deserve housing that allows them to stay close to family, friends, and resources they rely on.
"Cottonwood Place helps ensure our seniors can continue to live independently and with dignity, right here in Lumby," said Sandhu. "Seniors built this province and country, and we need to do everything we can to support seniors. I am encouraged to see our government's ongoing work to support such initiatives."
The homes are close to key amenities, including medical offices, the post office, the Old Age Pensioners Hall and the municipal hall.
"The Lumby and District Senior Citizens Housing Society would like to thank all of our partners," said current chair Joe Deuling. "Without all of the generous help we have received, this project never would have happened."
Cottonwood Place is one of three seniors' housing buildings in the area managed by the LDSCHS. It was created through a partnership between the province (through BC Housing), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), LDSCHS, Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and the Village of Lumby.
The Regional District of North Okanagan contributed funds to the Cottonwood Place project. Electoral Area E director Jim Johnson served as emcee for the official opening.
