A supportive housing project is Guildford is looking at a slight delay, says Councillor Brenda Locke.
The project, at 147th Street and 104th Avenue, had an issue with birds nesting, which is now looking at about a six-week delay, Locke said. She said there was a “grove of trees” on the property where the birds were nesting.
She added that crews are now “building like crazy” on the roughly 60-unit facility.
However, there was a hope that the project would be finished in time for the Aug. 31 closure of one of the temporary modular housing sites in Whalley.
Back in February, Locke told the Now-Leader that Nickerson Place, 13550 105th Ave., had a tentative closing date of Aug. 31.
At the time, Locke said timelines would be “really squeezed” to move people out of Nickerson Place and into the Guildford supportive housing project.
READ ALSO: Councillor, BC Housing confirms closing date for a Surrey modular location, Feb. 29, 2020
Asked if there’s going to be a burden on shelters in the meantime while people move out of Nickerson Place and wait for a spot at the supportive housing project, Locke said: “We’re already challenged, let’s be clear about that.”
She said the city already doesn’t have enough spaces, and people are in shelters now.
But Locke said BC Housing and Lookout Housing and Health Society have been working in the weeks leading up to Nickerson’s closure to place residents into other projects.
“There is only about 10 or 15 people left at Nickerson now.”
The other two temporary modular units, the Nancy Gerard Building (10662 King George Blvd.) and the Steve Cobon Building (13455 107A Ave.), don’t yet have a tentative closing date, Locke said.
She said the developers for those two sites are “not ready to get a project underway,” and there is “a little more time with those.”
Recently, protesters barricaded themselves in Nickerson Place to protest its closure to make way for a highrise condominium project by Bosa Properties.
Surrey RCMP said officers arrested 23 people Aug. 19.
READ ALSO: Surrey Mounties arrest 23 low-income housing activists in Whalley, Aug. 19, 2020
Meantime, work is ongoing at two other supportive housing projects: one in Green Timbers and one near King George Boulevard and 132nd Street.
Locke said the one on King George Boulevard, a 57-unit project, is “underway as well.”
The Green Timbers site, she said, is a “full build.” It will include 100 supportive housing units and 30 transitional accommodation spaces.
Then in June, a site was identified in Newton for another supportive housing project. Located at 13620 80th Ave., it would include 40 homes.
But Locke noted that the city is still trying to find a couple of locations, most likely in Cloverdale and South Surrey, for two other supportive housing projects.
For more information on supportive housing in Surrey, visit letstalkhousingbc.ca/surrey.
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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