The Timberline Community Housing Project is one step closer to its vision for a 20-room assisted living housing community in Sprague. 

The facility will cater to seniors who can no longer live independently, or choose not to, but prefer an alternative to a personal care home. It is expected to open in 2025. 

South East Community Services Co-operative (SECSC) recently received a grant of $40,100 through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Seed Funding Program. 

The CMHC Seed Funding Grant will be applied to site and code review, preliminary architectural design, and project costing.  

The project relies 100 per cent on funding from grants, government, non-governmental organizations, and fundraising. 

The deadline to complete the work is December 31 of this year, and the board is confident in being able to achieve that milestone with consultants already having been sourced and confirmed. 

The preliminary design schematics will provide a visual representation of the new facility, allowing southeast Manitoba residents to see this shared vision as a near-term reality. 

SECSC president Martin Van Osch says they are currently in the preliminary stages of fundraising. 

“Our fundraising efforts for the actual capital work, the funding to build the facility, has yet to start.” 

He says so far they have received around $100,000.  

“But East Borderland Community Housing has been fundraising for this type of facility for an excessive 15-20 years, and they have been able to secure $500,000 toward the project as well.” 

East Borderland Community Housing, a registered charity based in Sprague, provided the initial funding to restructure the effort from a non-profit volunteer group to a co-operative, and continue to champion the project. 

Van Osch says there is a considerable amount they need to raise for the capital component, but they are optimistic that with the approved funding they are receiving from CMHC for the architectural and the geotechnical work, they will continue to support the project toward the capital part. 

“Housing is a strategic goal for the government throughout Canada, so we are quite optimistic that we will be able to secure further funding, both in grants and low-interest loans from CMHC, to continue working on the project and see this to completion in 2025.” 

Van Osch is looking forward to getting the ball rolling. 

“This much-appreciated funding provided by the Government of Canada will help the Timberline Community Housing project advance one step closer to construction.” 

He says the facility will be a great way to ensure seniors can stay close to family and remain in their community. 

“This grant backs a valuable grassroots initiative which will allow residents of Southeast Manitoba to age in place while remaining close to family, friends and community support,” he says. “This is a shared vision 20 years in the making that is now one step closer to reality as a result of many dedicated volunteer hours and strong community support.” 

He says the area has an older demographic and resources for them are currently lacking in the area. 

“And assisted living is one of those resources that is lacking for the southeast corner of Manitoba.” 

Van Osch says it is a very much needed service in the community. 

“And it’s not just seniors, there are young individuals that live with challenges that are forced to move out of our region because the support services do not exist in southeast Manitoba to allow them to continue to live where family, friends, and community supports exist,” he says. “So this type of facility puts a big check mark in providing services for those residents, people that we want to see remain in our community, that we want to help.” 

 

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