Grande Prairie City Council has agreed to a land sale that could allow the Canadian Mental Health Association to add an additional 55 housing units to Willow Place.
Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the decision was a “natural choice” for council, as the organization has already been operating in the area.
“It’s a very natural choice for council to transition, it allows them the opportunity to continue providing excellent service, but also it provides them some comfort and stability going forward as they look to expand,” she says.
Affordable housing has always been a topic of conversation for the current council, and Clayton suggests that the new facility would tackle two of Grande Prairie’s most significant issues- mental health, and affordable living.
“I think that those two need to be inclusive of each other, I think that it’s fair to say that, affordable housing is absolutely a need, but as equal of a need is mental health support,” she says.
Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2025, taking around two to three years to get the new facility up and running. The Mayor says she is looking forward to see how the CMHA utilizes the expansion of space.
“The Canadian Mental Health Association does incredible work in our community, and I’m looking forward to seeing them continue to be successful in their expansion and providing more services and more residential space for those who require it,” she says.
Council agreed to sell the land, which was assessed at $391K, for one dollar.
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