By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
Warman resident Ron Martens, who is also the president of the non-profit organization KC Charities, and Warman MLA Terry Jenson were among the dignitaries present at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 19, for a new senior’s housing complex in Saskatoon.
Dubbed Columbia Village, the new facility located at 3012 Louise Street boasts a total of 134 units. According to a provincial release, this includes 30 affordable one-bedroom homes, 20 fully accessible units and 10-barrier-free units for low-income seniors with limited mobility.
“These are homes for individuals, for the people that helped build the province. And it’s wonderful to see,” said Jenson, who appeared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in his capacity as Minister of Social Services.
Jenson said the Saskatchewan government and the Government of Canada invested $990,000 through the National Housing Strategy (NHS) – Saskatchewan Priorities Initiative under the Rental Development Program.
According to the province, another $340,000 also came from the City of Saskatoon while KC Charities, the developer of the project, put in $1.75 million.
“I like to look at these units from the perspective of the lives that are directly improved, the lives in which dignity is preserved, and all the families who will rest easier with the peace of mind that these units are going to provide,” Jenson said.
“This project provides a place of safety and independence for seniors … especially those with mobility challenges.”
It should be noted that Columbian Village is actually the fifth phase of the overall Columbia Manor expansion project, and the new Columbian Village is in fact connected to the old Columbia Manor. The ribbon-cutting itself was held in the chapel that is effectively in the centre of this inter-connected complex.
Martens, who has been president of KC Charities for about 15 years, went further into the history of the project.
He said that about 40 years ago, several men had the dream of building affordable senior’s housing.
One of those men, Bob Jeanneau, is still alive today, and was recently elevated to an honourary lifetime member in the non-profit faith-based housing organization.
Martens also asked the crowd at the grand opening to give Jeanneau a standing ovation.
“I’ve been a member of Knights of Columbus for I think 27 years, and he’s been a hands-on guy all the way through,” Martens said.
KC Charities first built Columbian Manor, a 62-unit facility, in 1995. Another 16 units were then built a few years later, followed by 51 assisted living units in 2008.
Columbian Place, a 75-suite affordable apartment complex along 20th Street, was later established in 2012.
Martens said they decided to build a fifth phase to the project roughly three and a half years ago, though their original plans had to be downgraded due to the supply shortages that arose during COVID.
Throughout all these expansions and new facilities, Martens stressed that Jeanneau has been the driving force and saved them a great deal of money through his extensive knowledge.
“There isn’t much that he doesn’t know about housing, especially large-scale housing. He’s done it all,” he said.
Martens noted that if you look at the price of assisted living units elsewhere in Saskatoon, you’ll see their complex is “quite a bit” below market value.
City of Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block, who was also at the ribbon-cutting, mentioned that each phase of this project had the same goals: to build housing units that are affordable, appropriate, and rooted in faith.
“I think that speaks to how we can build housing: that it’s not good enough to have four walls and a door. We have to think about what it does mean for people to feel that they belong,” she said.
KC Charities President Ron Martens (left to right), KC Charities Executive Director of Operations Norma Denis, Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block, Minister of Social Services Terry Jenson, KC Charities co-founder Bob Jeanneau, Saskatoon City Councillor Bev Dubois, Saskatoon South MP Kevin Waugh, and KC Charities Director John Reschny cut the ribbon at the grand opening of Columbian Village on Thursday, June 19.
KC Charities president Ron Martens cuts a cake prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.