The 62-unit Sunfield Manor was officially opened Tuesday, Aug. 29, with around 30 residents already moved into the building. The remaining vacant units will be filled shortly. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

affordable housing

New affordable seniors housing complex officially opens in Nanaimo

Aug 29, 2023 | 9:20 AM

NANAIMO — Residents are moved in and more are on the way in the weeks to come to fill up the city’s newest seniors housing complex.

Sunfield Manor along Seafield Cres. by Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, was officially opened Tuesday, Aug. 29 with around 30 residents already in place for roughly the last week.

The five-storey, 62-unit building is owned and operated by the Woodgrove Senior Citizens Housing Society, with president of the society Kerry Howell telling NanaimoNewsNOW it’s the end of a very long road to get to this point.

“It’s been seven years in the making, a lot of hard work, a lot of people that put time into this project and to finally see it come together, to see residents move in is an amazing feeling.”

The remaining space in the new building will be taken up by new tenants on the Society’s lengthy wait list, to be decided over the coming weeks and months.

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Of the 62 units, 54 are one-bedroom apartments and the remaining eight are two-bedroom suites.

Twelve are fully accessible for those with mobility challenges while all the units have been designed with maneuverability in mind.

“All of our apartments are accessible but we do have two on each floor that are more wheelchair accessible. A lot of design went into it to make sure it is easy to manoeuvre for seniors and those with disabilities.”

Dignitaries were on hand to celebrate the opening of Sunfield Manor on Tuesday, detailing the various partnerships which contributed to the site. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Half of the units are rented out at 30 per cent of the tenant’s monthly income. Other suits will be rented at below-market rates or with rents adjusted to meet the budgets of very low-income households.

The roughly 30 residents already in the new building were formerly living at the now-closed Seafield Manor on the same lot.

A new construction will eventually be built on the Seafield site in the years to come, also owned and operated by the Society.

Howell was unsure of the timing for the project, saying it depended on funding, permits and several other factors.

She added the need for seniors housing in Nanaimo is immense.

“We have a stack of applications that go back three to four years of people trying to get into one of our buildings. There’s such a need and being able to now start on a second building is going to be a great feeling.”

Fully funded with construction getting underway in 2022, the project at 1125 Seafield Cres. is a result of partnerships from all levels.

Federal and provincial funding contributed to the construction, while BC Housing will provide ongoing operations funding to the Society.

The City of Nanaimo also contributed to the project by waiving development and other fees.

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