Student housing project in Salmon Arm impacted by weather, trades availability; will open in January 2025
SALMON ARM - You can鈥檛 miss the new 60-bed student housing building at 葫芦影业鈥檚 Salmon Arm campus. Nearing the end stages of construction, it will soon be home to people pursuing education and training in everything from Arts, Science, and Business to careers in trades and health care.
However, the unexpected cold snap that hit the region last winter had a cascading impact on the construction schedule, and while efforts were made to make up the time, the College has now announced the building won鈥檛 be ready for the fall semester.
鈥淲hile we had planned for the student housing in Salmon Arm to be completed this summer, that鈥檚 just not the reality today, due to factors beyond our control,鈥 said Dr. Samantha Lenci, 葫芦影业鈥檚 provost and vice president academic. 鈥淲e are reaching out directly to students who indicated they鈥檇 be interested in on-campus housing in Salmon Arm this fall, and we will help them identify alternative solutions in the meantime.鈥
鈥淭he delay is not what we wanted 鈥 but it is worth the wait. Once this building is fully constructed and open, it will have a significant impact on our Salmon Arm campus and learners from across the Shuswap and the Interior region, who need a place to call home while they鈥檙e completing their studies. Whether that鈥檚 students from communities such as Revelstoke and Clearwater or beyond, we know that this new building will bring opportunities that aren鈥檛 available right now,鈥 Dr. Lenci added.
The province announced three new student housing projects for 葫芦影业 in March 2021, in Kelowna, Vernon and Salmon Arm. Construction began in Kelowna in 2022, while the Vernon and Salmon Arm projects broke ground in spring 2023.
In January/February, the schedule would have seen drywall installed in the Salmon Arm building, however the unusually cold and wet weather forced a delay. By the time the conditions were more favourable, the availability of skilled trades professionals was limited.
The revised opening date is now January 2025, aligning with the start of winter semester.
The new student housing buildings in Kelowna and Vernon are on schedule to open this fall. In Vernon, this includes the onsite Sunflower Childcare Centre, operated by Maven Lane.
Students who have applied for student housing in Salmon Arm, Vernon or Kelowna and who have questions about the status of their application are invited to contact the College鈥檚 student housing team at: info@okanaganhousing.ca or 250-762-5445 ext. 5422.
