The Mayor of Bonnechere Valley says it’s the biggest construction project she’s seen in the township.
Jennifer Murphy say efforts to build 80 apartment units in total on the former site of St. James Separate School in Eganville have been proceeding quickly, with the construction expected to be complete by next May.
One of a couple of building projects in the works for the village, Murphy says it should have a notable impact keeping people in the community when it comes time for them to downsize.
She adds that the construction is changing the landscape in Eganville, both literally and figuratively: not only is it making use of a piece of land left derelict for years, but the speed of construction in it’s early phases has helped to lift the community’s spirits after COVID-19 held the project back three years.
Now that the project is meaningfully underway, Murphy’s hope for the units is to have a wider variety of housing options for residents that will entice them to stay in the area.
Murphy credits the contractor on the project, PFT Construction, on what she describes as a “seamless” process while working with the Township on the apartment units, noting specifically their choice to use the winter season to prepare the modular framework for the first part of the project ahead of the installation.
Two 30-unit apartment buildings are expected to be completed around May 2024, with the other 20 units being finished on an adjacent site in the fall.
(written by Kasey Egan)