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page 5,Whitby Free Press, Saturday May 31 EWA Architects' drawing of unit shows it next to existing apartment. Council has approved project. 10 storey, 126-unit seniors apartment will house 250 By MIKE KOWALSKI Free Press Staff Writer Construction will begin later this year on Durham Christian Homes' second senior citizens' housing project in Whitby. Town council this week approved plans for a 10- storey apartment complex to be built next to the non- profit organization's 124- unit Providence Place sen- iors' residence on Glen Hill Drive, south. of Dundas Street. In addition to the pro- posed 126-unit 'Tekoa Manor', a two-storey rec- reation and amenities com- plex joining the two buildings will also be constructed. With an anticipated Sep- tember 1998 occupancy date, the $14.5-million project will be the new home for many of the 250 people now on Durham Christian Homes' waiting list and when open, will mark completion of the second phase of an even- tual three-phase development. Long-term plans call for a nursing home to comple- ment Tekoa Manor and the nine-year-old Providence Place. However, "we will deal with that as it cornes," said marketing coordinator George Witvoet. At the mo- ment, the focus is on ob- taining the necessary financing to allow work to commence by late summer or early fall, Witvoet said. A task made more diffi- cult since the Ontario gov- ernment will no longer fund new non-profit hous- ing projects, Witvoet noted. "Subsidization was stopped by (Premier) Mi- chael Harris. This has to be done by private money," he said. Although the govern- ment will continue subsi- dizing existing projects - 60 per cent of the units in Providence Place are subsi- dized - Durham Christian Homes and similar organi- zations must look else- where for funding if the future housing needs of senior citizens are to be met, Witvoet said. "We project that by the year 2000, there will be so many people 55 and older that we won't be able to ac- commodate them.." Witvoet said $2 million of Tekoa Manor's $14.5- million cost will come in the form of loans from its 470 members, the majority of whom reside in Durham Region. In fact, half of that amount has already been raised, he said. Another $4 million will be raised from the pre-sale of units on the top four floors of the building. Under terms of a "life lease" agreement, resi- dents can purchase the right to live in their units for the rest of their lives, with an equity return go- ing to their estates at the end, Witvoet explained. "We have pre-sold 70 per cent of the life leases al- ready and one-third of the others have been rented." The remaining $8.5 mil- lion will be financed through a mortgage, Wit- voet added. In addition to a recrea- tion hall, the amenities fa- cility will include a barber shop and beauty salon, gift store, coffee shop, wood- working shop and exercise rooms. A nurse will always be on the premises and visiting doctors will have regular hours, Witvoet said. "We like to think that this will be more than an apartment building, it's an apartment plus. One can be as busy or relaxed as one wants to be." As for the name, Tekoa is a Biblical term which means the "pitching of tents," Witvoet said. THEURH A MA DV ANT AGE Where can you get University degrees in Arts, Science & Business from Trent & York Universities, full-time during the day in Durham Region? Corne find out at our Information Session Thursday, June 5 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Durham College, Room I-110 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa If you have any questions contact Sandra Gunn at 721-3003. TRENT UNIVERSITY Educating You for the Real World. UNIVERSITE US We can help your son or daughter create their own summer job through a Student Venture loan of up to $3,000. If your child is between 15 and 29, and returning to school, give us a call today. We'Il help you keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive! Call 1-800-387-0777 =SRIJbS http://www.edu.gov.on.ca ( Ontario LHOT PRICE71 *WATCH FOR OUR BULK EXTRAVAGANZA DAYS* WE RESERVE HT THE RIG JOHNVINCE 4 3 4 - 6 8 3 0 TO LIMIT Q JES FOODS 1910 DUNDAS ST, E., WHITBY UANTIT