ROAD TO FLOOD RECOVERY
TRAILERS SET TO BECOME HOMES FOR DISPLACED RESIDENTS
Rows of monochromatic trailers set up roughly 10 kilometres north of High River are set to become the new homes for flooded-out residents — complete with leather couches, TVs and kitchen tables — a shortterm housing solution the province hopes will give some stability to displaced community members as the town rebuilds.
The hastily assembled temporary neighbourhood, which broke ground three weeks ago, is now ready to accommodate up to 200 people, with space for around 1,250 down the road if needed, said MLA Rick Fraser, associate minister responsible for High River’s recovery.
The province is scheduled to formally unveil the makeshift community, called Saddlebrook, on Tuesday.
Fraser said the trailers can accommodate up to a family of five, with the ability to be modified if needed.
Not much to look at on the outside, inside the homes are an “upgraded kind of recreational style home,” with living, kitchen and sleeping areas, said Fraser.
“It’ll all be serviced by wa- ter and by sewage, all those types of things are taken care of,” he said.
“It clearly won’t be home, but it will be a nice accommodation for a short-term stay, ” he said.
Placements to the homes are based on priority and a re meant to be only a temporary fix, but Fraser said the province intends to operate them as long as people need a place to live.
The first 90 days will be rent-free, he said, adding,
It clearly won’t be home, but it will be a nice accommodation MLA RICK FRASER
“As we move forward, we’re looking to government programs to cover the complete cost.”
Work to set up the trailerstyle housing has included surveying, servicing and grading the land before putting the homes in place. Laid out on a grid, each unit in each row is labelled.
The Highwood River flows less than one kilometre east of the town — a constant reminder of what caused the displacement of many residents and the need for the creation of the temporary neighbourhood.
The province plans to put in place “regular amenities,” such as a park for kids or a recreation facility with pool tables, suggested Fraser.
Keeping the neighbourhood close to High River means the new occupants can still support local businesses and live near family and friends. Children, meanwhile, will be able to start the new school year with their friends.
“We’ve taken care of all the transportation for people and the same will continue,” Fraser said.
“My goal is to try to keep High River residents in and close to High River so they support the local business and their life is somewhat normal.”
Fraser said he didn’t yet have a cost for the development, with construction ongoing.
It’s unclear how many residents will sign up for the homes.
Some people have made arrangements to stay with family or friends, said Fraser. Others don’t have anywhere to go, he said, noting that rental properties were quickly snapped up.
In Calgary, plans for a temporary community for some 1,000 High River residents have been shelved for now. Fraser said the province can “pull the trigger” on the site at a later date, if the homes are needed.
“We’re prepared for as many as we need if we need to put them down, but we also need to manage the economics of this and making sure we’re not putting something down that we don’t necessarily need right away,” he said.