The Mayne-Surtees Memorial Society (MSMS) has gifted Sunshine Coast Lions Housing Society (SCLHS) $93,337.06 for a future seniors’ affordable housing project at Greenecourt that could get underway next year.
The MSMS was set up in honour of Jack Mayne and Ted Surtees, who were members of Sechelt Legion Branch 140 and served as presidents “a long time ago,” according to current president Kay Metcalfe.
The money originally came from members of Branch 140 and has been under the management of a group of MSMS directors from Branch 140 since the 1970s.
The fund has always had the stipulation that it be used for an affordable housing project for seniors.
“Since it has become clear that Branch 140 is not getting involved in any housing project on its own, it was decided, according to its bylaws, to hand over the funds to a charitable organization involved with housing,” said Paul Lith, society member and Branch 140 finance committee chair.
The money was gifted to SCLHS on Nov. 22, in front of the Greenecourt tower that was built by SCLHS and currently houses around 100 subsidized seniors.
Beside the tower, also in Greenecourt at 5583 Ocean Ave., is a parcel with 29 single-level seniors’ units also built by SCLHS. That’s the eyed location for a future affordable housing tower with “double the units” of the first, according to Dave Kimpinsky of SCLHS.
He said the society already has about $1 million saved for the project and owns the land beneath the 29 single-level suites, valued at “a few million.”
“So that’s a start,” Kimpinsky said, noting SCLHS plans to approach BC Housing for funding and the group is hopeful the request will be approved.
“Then what BC Housing does is they give us the money to build the building and then we get a mortgage,” Kimpinsky said.
He noted SCLHS has already paid off the mortgage on the 29 units that would need to be moved to make way for the new tower.
“We’re just working right now with another group to move them to an area in Sechelt,” Kimpinsky said.
The current Greenecourt tower cost about $8 million to build and Kimpinsky expects the new, larger tower to cost upwards of $20 million.
Lith said his group was pleased to be able to bolster the effort with the funds from MSMS. He noted longtime treasurer for the society, Trevor Birch, was too ill to attend the photo op, but was charged with keeping the fund safe for “many years.”
