The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Flin Flon's largest government housing complex is set to accommodate even more low-income families. Manitoba Housing plans to add 14 units to the Aspen Grove apartments, with construction starting as early as next summer. The department believes the units could be built in either of two open areas adjacent to the street, a spokesperson told The Reminder. The final site plan is far from complete, however. The department will request bids from architectural consultants early in the new year. 'After the design, etc., is completed, the department will then need to go to public tender for a contractor, probably in the spring,' the spokesperson said. 'Hopefully, if everything goes well, construction would begin in the summer (of 2014).' Construction would likely take several months to complete. Plans for the Aspen Grove addition go back at least several months but until now have not been overtly publicized. The Manitoba Housing spokesperson said plans for the addition were previously delayed due to concerns with water and sewer services at the property. 'The question was whether or not the site would need to be reconfigured to provide services more effectively,' said the spokesperson. 'This issue has been resolved and Manitoba Housing will be moving forward on replacing existing infrastructure and design for new family housing that will be built on the site.' The Aspen Grove addition will replace the 14 public housing units lost when the government-owned apartments at 4 Hemlock Drive were abandoned last year. That came after Manitoba Housing determined that it made no financial sense to repair the moisture-plagued complex. Plans were previously in place to demolish 4 Hemlock, and that may still happen. But first Manitoba Housing will consider alternate uses, including a sale to the highest bidder or tearing down the building but keeping the land for a potential new housing complex. 'The department expects to make a decision on these options before the end of the year,' the spokesperson said last week. See 'Roof' on pg. Continued from pg. At 4 Hemlock, inadequate roof ventilation and an incomplete vapour barrier in the ceilings had led to repeated cases of moisture build-up in the attic and exterior walls, as well as significant ice damming. Ice damming occurs when snow on a building melts and refreezes, eventually causing water to leak inside as the weather grows warmer. A consulting engineer estimated the necessary repairs would cost $1.1 million. Within the next five years, the building was also due for about $1.7 million in scheduled renovations. Factoring in these cost estimates to restore a 35-year-old building, the decision was made last year to build new units. The 4 Hemlock complex neighbours the seniors apartments at 2 Hemlock Drive, which also required work to resolve moisture and humidity problems. Last week, roofers were at 2 Hemlock for the latest improvement project.
