The Creston Valley Housing Corporation (CVHC) is pleased to provide an update on site servicing and infrastructure work for its mixed-use childcare and housing development at 1501 Cedar Street. The project will deliver a 110-space childcare facility and new rental housing, helping address two of Creston's most significant community needs. The project is supported through the Province of British Columbia's ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund.
Construction crews have made substantial progress on underground utility relocation and site servicing activities. Key infrastructure improvements have now been completed or are nearing completion, including the installation of upgraded stormwater infrastructure, as well as the relocation and rerouting of water and sanitary sewer services to support the future development.
The new stormwater infrastructure has been designed and installed consistent with the Town of Creston's Stormwater Master Plan, ensuring the area is better equipped to accommodate future stormwater flows while supporting long-term infrastructure resiliency.
Water and sewer services have also been relocated to maximize the developable area of the site. These modifications improve the functionality of the property and support the efficient design of both the childcare facility and residential housing components.
One area of work that has experienced minor scheduling challenges relates to the relocation of existing FortisBC electrical distribution infrastructure. Due to the extraordinary demands placed on utility resources throughout British Columbia during this summer's wildfire season, coordination of the final transfer of underground electrical distribution lines to their new location has taken longer than originally anticipated.
To allow site servicing work to continue safely and efficiently, the existing electrical distribution lines have been temporarily relocated above ground while underground infrastructure work is completed. This approach enables construction crews to proceed without working in close proximity to existing underground electrical infrastructure and helps maintain overall project momentum.
Importantly, these utility relocations and associated site servicing requirements were identified early in the project planning process and were fully contemplated when the site was selected for development. The costs associated with relocating major infrastructure, including the electrical distribution system, were incorporated into the Provincial childcare grant funding received for the project.
"This infrastructure work is a necessary part of preparing the site for long-term community use," said Councillor Denise Dumas, Chair of the Creston Valley Housing Corporation. "By securing Provincial funding that includes these extraordinary site development costs, we are able to unlock the development potential of the property while minimizing the burden on local taxpayers."
The infrastructure challenges associated with this site have been well understood by the Town for many years. In fact, the property was one of several locations evaluated during the Town's previous fire hall site selection process. Had a fire hall been constructed on the property, similar utility relocation and servicing work would also have been required. Unlike the current project, however, there was no corresponding Provincial funding opportunity available at that time to offset these extraordinary infrastructure costs.
As a result, the current childcare and housing project provides a unique opportunity to address long-standing site servicing requirements using senior government funding rather than relying on local tax dollars.
While coordination with FortisBC has resulted in a modest scheduling adjustment, the overall site servicing program continues to progress within expected budget parameters, and CVHC remains confident in the project's direction and long-term value to the community.
The Creston Valley Housing Corporation will continue to provide updates as construction advances and looks forward to delivering both new childcare spaces and much-needed housing opportunities for local residents.
About the Creston Valley Housing Corporation
The Creston Valley Housing Corporation is a wholly owned corporation of the Town of Creston established to help facilitate the development of suitable, attainable, and sustainable housing options within the community. Its first project combines a 110-space childcare facility with approximately 42 rental housing units at 1501 Cedar Street.