Joe Dueling, President of the Lumby and District Senior Citizens Housing Society, Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder, Sandhu, and Lumby Mayor, Kevin Acton, cutting the ribbon at Cottonwood Place (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

20 Affordable Units

Ribbon cut at Lumby’s new senior living building

May 23, 2025 | 2:36 PM

More affordable homes have opened for seniors in the North Okanagan.

The ribbon was cut at Cottonwood Place, a 20-unit senior home in Lumby, Friday, May 23.

All the units within the building were being offered at affordable rates, and three of them were accessible.

Cottonwood Place, located on Glencaird St. near the municipal hall and other senior living facilities, was a joint venture between the Lumby and District Senior Citizens Housing Society (LDSCHS), Village of Lumby, B.C. Government through B.C. Housing, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

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The LDSCHS will manage the new facility, which includes a common area and scooter storage, and the president, who was using crutches Friday, emphasized the value of including the accessible units.

“We’re independent living, we don’t help, but lots of people with some form of disability are here, and accessibility doesn’t mean anything until things become inaccessible,” stated Joe Dueling, president and one of the eight board members of the LDSCHS.

“How high are the sidewalks where people have got to get out of the car? Are there enough parking spots for everybody in this community who needs the help? Are the sinks high enough and low enough so people in wheelchairs can get under them? Are the shelves not too high so people can reach out without falling?

“These things come into clear focus when you’re hobbling around on crutches. I’m going to get better, but the people that come here often times aren’t, and we need to, as a community and as the leaders of the community, be more aware of actually what accessibility means, because most of us don’t. I sure didn’t.”

Dueling also said there should be a “manual” or “template” developed that organizations can access to help them get housing projects underway, connect with architects and builders, and find ways to partner with government and other agencies.

Speaking with Vernon Matters, the LDSCHS President added there could be more accessible units in the new complex, but noted those additions come with significant additional costs, as well as criteria from the agencies that provided funding, so they had to go with just the three.

The Village of Lumby donated the land for the building, and also cut some fees needed for the project.

“We waved the [Development Cost Charges], we gave the property, we cut the building permit fees in half, all together it was probably [equivalent] to $700,000 that the village contributed,” Mayor Kevin Acton told Vernon Matters following the ribbon cutting.

“When you think about a tax base of about 2,000 people, I think if we raise their tax by one per cent would mean $1,200. So to contribute is, for us, a challenge, but we did it at a return that we could. We couldn’t wave the entire building permit, but we cut it in half, because there’s some responsibility to the taxpayer as well.”

Acton added the Village of Lumby did a Housing Needs Assessment in 2017 which showed that all housing types were needed, and this project was a step toward filling some of the demand.

“As far as this type of housing, seniors housing so we can keep people who have helped our community grow in our community, is massive,” the Mayor said.

“This is probably one of the best triumphs when it comes to housing.”

The B.C. Government provided approximately $3.16-million from the Community Housing Fund for this project, with another $780,000 coming from the Canada Community Housing Initiative and administered by the province.

“These new 20 rental homes at the Cottonwood Place are meaningful and a much needed addition to the community,” Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby, stated at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“It’s offering comfort and security to our seniors who have given so much to the village, as well as to the province. So these have been thoughtfully designed with comfort and the needs of seniors in mind. Each one is adaptable to support changing needs over time, and three are fully wheelchair accessible for seniors who need those, helping residents live safely, independently, and age in-place, in their own beloved community, with dignity.”

Speaking with Vernon Matters, the MLA added the units would all be affordable so as to support area seniors and allow them to stay in their home community.

“They are affordable,spacious and safe. That’s the goal, to provide them affordable rent so seniors can afford them if thy are struggling financially,” Sandhu said, adding the need for accessible units was also a known element for future provincially supported projects.

“The need [for accessible housing is huge and the province does acknowledge that. The accessibility issue doesn’t necessarily come with age, there are people [who have suffered] injuries and other situations. I come from a healthcare background, over two decades I’ve seen various disabilities that can hinder people’s progress, as well as even having to access housing or amenities in the community.”

CMHC also provided approximately $7.4 million in loan funding, which the LDSCHS provided through land equity valued at $600,000. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities contributed $175,000 for the feasibility study needed for the development.

Cottonwood Place is the third senior housing complex in Lumby.