CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE Dec. 16, 2019
On Dec. 16, the Villa James Shaw Committee met for the last time in 2019, at the . . .
Centre D’Accueil Pontiac’s Dale Thompson room, and there were plenty of important decisions on the agenda. Prepatory work for the planned seniors residence is rapidly approaching its finale.
One of the first major resolutions was to alter their agreement with ROHSCO, the organization that provides expertise to community housing projects in the Outaouais. Secretary Susan McLaughlin explained that the new contract was more precise, and capped expenses at a certain amount, rather than leave it as a percentage of capital costs.
Regardless of the change in contract, the committee currently owes ROHSCO just over $60,000 for work they’ve already done over the past three years. While members of the board were under the impression that they wouldn’t have to start paying the organization until there were shovels in the ground, President Albert Armstrong explained that the scope of the project had changed since the original contract had been signed in 2017, which required a lot of work on ROHSCO’s part.
The size of the facility was increased to 50 units, as a smaller amount of units would have required a higher rent from residents. The recently completed feasibility study concluded that a larger amount of units would be viable. The committee voted unanimously to accept the new contract.
The committee reviewed the responses that they had received for several calls for tender, for engineering reports, landscaping plans and consultants. Armstrong explained that they would need to invest a significant amount into these areas in order to qualify for funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
“We have to spend money in order to get money,” he said.
Also required for their application is a recent appraisal of the property, which was planned for early in the New Year.
In addition, the committee agreed to form a new committee to oversee management of the facility, adding that they would finalize selections from the board in January. They also nominated CISSSO community organizer Michel Laporte to the committee.
Pontiac Warden Jane Toller was in attendance and formally announced that the MRC had allocated $50,000 from their territory development fund at their last meeting and the committee could expect the cheque to arrive soon.
MNA André Fortin was also in attendance and congratulated the committee on the progress that they had made on the project.
