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Tuesday, May 17th, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

May 17, 2016 

Lions Housing project entering major financing push

The BC government has announced a funding program for affordable housing, and the Quesnel Lions Housing Society (QLHS) is entering a final big push to make the $5 million project happen.

“We’re moving hard on two fronts now,” says QLHS President Mitch Vik. “The first is a small business and corporate fundraising campaign that starts this week, and the second front is to complete the funding application by June 15.”

“The BC government will provide direct equity investment in housing projects, instead of grants. That would make the government a project partner. The application window is fairly tight, but through hard and sustained volunteer work, we’ve accomplished essential steps towards realizing our proposal.”

Vik pointed to community consultation, several stages of project design, geotechnical and environmental site analysis, and fundraising as examples of critical work to date. “If we were starting from scratch now, I don’t think we’d have much of a chance, but we think we have a great chance now.”

Demonstrating community support is a very important task now, says Vik.

“We’re asking for letters of support, and in particular, we’re reaching out to the business community for funding and in-kind contributions. The more community money is raised, the better chance the project will have to get government financing.”

“Both individuals and businesses can continue to invest through our ‘Buy a brick’ campaign,” said Vik. “That campaign continues to go very well, and offers a chance for individuals, families and businesses to support the project and receive a permanent recognition of their support in the new building. The new campaign not only allows for the purchase of ‘bricks,’ but allows naming rights on components of the building and the building itself.”

For example, businesses and individuals can “name” specific apartment units with a permanent plaque on the door, or name the common area or outdoor patio.

The proposed 30 unit, four story building at the corner of Reid and McNaughton would be the first apartment building built in North Quesnel in over 25 years. The QLHS started a rezoning process with the City of Quesnel in 2015, and hopes to complete that process soon. More information on the project can be found at www.qlionshousing.ca.

The QLHS was launched by the Quesnel Lions Club in 2012 after the Lions determined that more affordable housing for seniors is an important need for Quesnel. The QLHS is a separate society established to fill that need.

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Contact: Mitch Vik, President, QLHS  tel 250 983 6784

 
Quesnel Lions Housing Society
255 McNaughton Ave
Box 100
Quesnel BC V2J 0C4
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