The Greater Victoria Housing Society (GVHS) has received the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association's (CHRA) Outstanding Development Award at the recent CHRA National Congress on Housing and Homelessness in Saskatoon, Sask.
The Lions at Fleming project – a 137-unit building on Fleming Street in Esquimalt – was recognized for its impact on the local community, its "creative" features and its focus on sustainability.
“We are very proud to receive this award,” said GVHS CEO Virginia Holden in a news release. “It reflects the hard work of our staff and partners who helped make The Lions at Fleming a reality. This project addresses the urgent housing needs in our community and sets a great example for future developments.”
The zero-emission building is constructed to exceed Passive House standards – a set of building requirements that prioritize energy efficiency – and the BC Energy Step Code 4, as it uses a heat pump hot water system.
One anonymous resident of the building, only named as T.B., lauded the convenience of the building during the opening.
“I am a single mother of a teenager with disability, and I was looking for a new place that is not too far from Esquimalt High School, where my child attends,” noted T.B., an anonymous resident of The Lions, in the release. “My apartment is beautiful and everything I could have asked for. I love that it is within walking distance to the high school for my child, and he does not have to rely on the bus.”
