Season Changes on Site

If you’ve been by the site lately you will have noticed a lot of activity. The exceptional fall weather allowed for ease of access for crews to continue exterior work during the warm days. However, the inevitable first snowfall on October 22 did change that and the shelter building is now wrapped in tarps to ensure work can continue.

The concrete pours are on track, with the third-floor slab and vertical sections being done in the coming weeks. Storm and sanitary installations around the north side of the shelter are nearing completion and the ground will then be leveled to support access and usage for work over the winter months.

The affordable housing building, which faces 20th Ave, continues to progress rapidly. Windows and exterior doors finally arrived, after a delay in delivery and
have been installed. The exterior envelope team are working hard to seal the building with a vapour barrier, install the insulation and begin installing cladding. Planters on the south side of the building have been formed with a unique wood grain texture finish, which is worth walking by to see in person. Additionally, landscaping, walkways, and the parking lot to the west of the building will be finished shortly, weather permitting.

The interior of the building has seen notable changes with the third floor being the most complete. Cabinets have been installed, countertops measured, flooring is being laid, ceilings finished, and doors and walls are being painted. The installation of the elevator saw big excitement as it signals how quickly this building is coming together. The units are stunning, even before they’re fully finished, and we can’t wait to house our first clients – women and children fleeing domestic violence – in the New Year.

Sneak-peek Tour for Special Guests

We were thrilled to host a small group of YW Board members, partners and contributors for an early look at our new affordable housing facility earlier this week. Guests enjoyed a presentation from our Construction Manager, Lori Van Rooijen and Shelter & Housing Manager, Stacey Ashton on the project and the impact it will have on the lives our future clients, as well as participating in a guided tour of the housing site.

The enthusiastic comments from guests were overwhelming and joyous to hear and the effort our construction team at Cana put into preparing the space for touring was exceptional. We look forward to more opportunities in the months to come to help our many stakeholders discover the site and the
project.

YW recognizes that the Sheriff King Home redevelopment project creates some added disruption and activity for our immediate neighbors in the area. Your patience and support has been, and continues to be greatly appreciated. You can stay up to date on the Sheriff King Home Redevelopment Page.

Concerns or Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact us at: 403.705.5779 or YWDevelopment@ywcalgary.ca.

A Big Thank you!

Today, we were thrilled to host a summer BBQ to thank the project teams and neighbours of our Sheriff King Home Redevelopment.

“I would like to say a big THANK YOU to project teams, Cana, our Prime Contractors and the many subtrades who are making this project a reality

. Their hard work and support will ensure the project is completed on time and able to provide a safe home to many women and their families”, said Sue Tomney, YW Chief Executive Officer to guests.

Sue speaks for all of us at YW Calgary in thanking our community of champions. With your support, we continue to progress towards a world in which women and their children thrive.

YW Affordable Housing Updates

As always, there’s a ton of progress to celebrate on the YW Sheriff King Home Redevelopment this month!

With the superstructure of the affordable housing now complete, crews are completing interior framing and dry wall. You may start to

see windows being installed on the north side of the building, with the south side soon to follow.

Our Land Use Change application to the City of Calgary was unanimously approved which allows us to buildout two additional units, for a total of 21 units. This means that 21 mothers and their children who have experienced domestic abuse will have access to safe, long-term housing in this wonderful community.

Full Speed Ahead on the Shelter

Significant progress has also been made on the YW Sheriff King Home shelter building since our last update. The south side has been backfilled and first floor pillars are in place. Additionally, the foundation framing for the basement on the north is side almost complete.

A Bird’s Eye View

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a thousand pages at least. Thanks to CANA for this exciting video showing progress up to the end of June.

Progress Continues

Construction of the shelter building continues to progress with our summer weather. At this point, most footings and foundations are in, and we are ready to start backfilling in some areas.

Thank you, neighbours!

Earlier this week we took to the sidewalks around the YW Sheriff King Home site armed with bags of gourmet chocolate chip cookies. Just a small thank you for our immediate neighbours who have been most impacted by construction on the site.

Affordable Housing Topped Off!

It’s been incredible to watch how the YW Affordable Housing facility on the Sheriff King Home site has so quickly gone from drawing to reality! The topping-off of the new YW Calgary Affordable Housing structure was celebrated on Friday, May 27.

Calgary has a shortage of affordable housing, particularly for women and children. YW is committed to being a part of reducing this barrier by including an affordable housing facility as part of the Sheriff King Home site redevelopment plans. Families will have access to safe, trauma-informed, dignity-protecting homes in one of Calgary’s warmest communities—Inglewood.

Construction Preparations Begin for Sheriff King Home

We are also excited that the building permit for the shelter facility has been approved by the City of Calgary, and construction is underway! This work will require short-term road closures and a few water disruptions on 20th Avenue June 8-10, and 16th Street June 10-15. All impacted should have been notified 48 hours in advance by Peak Contracting Services, Inc.

We are thrilled to be hosting an IN PERSON Neighbour Day event on Saturday, June 18 in our Hub parking lot from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm – bring your family and come enjoy some live music, family friendly games and opportunities to become reacquainted with YW.

Continued Progress!

YW’s Affordable Housing facility is taking shape with construction continuing on schedule, barring any more snowstorms. Last month, the vertical foundation walls were completed, and insulation was installed around the perimeter before being backfilled.

Mechanical and electrical have been roughed-in and the second-floor slab has been poured, as you can see in the image below. Work has commenced on the elevator, staircase and walls and will continue to the third floor and roof slab over the coming weeks.

We’ve submitted a Land Use change application to the City of Calgary to increase the number of affordable housing units from 19 to 21 to support even more women and children fleeing domestic violence.

Construction on the YW Sheriff King Home crisis shelter is currently being tendered with the plan to begin work in May.

It’s taking shape!

Construction begins!

The groundhogs may have determined we will have six more weeks of winter but locally we’ve been experiencing great winter construction weather. This has been beneficial for progress on the new YW Affordable Housing building on the Sheriff King Home site.

Work on the substructure & foundations is underway, including cement pouring and the addition of reinforcing rebar. With this part of the project almost complete, work on the Super Structure, which includes slab pouring for all three floors, the roof and elevator cores will begin shortly and continue to mid-June.

YW’s development team, along with our architectural partners – Gibbs Gage – and our Project Manager are finalizing design details on the shelter building. We are working hard to ensure we maintain our trauma-informed design focus while managing escalating costs.

Both the Affordable Housing and Shelter buildings will be complimentary in their finishes with each other, and the community where they exist.

We know that construction can be disruptive at times when it’s in your back (or front) yard. YW is working with our construction partners, CANA to manage this as best as possible. If you have any concerns or questions, please reach out to us at YWDevelopment@ywcalgary.ca

Site clear and ready for construction!

We are kicking off the New Year with some tangible progress on construction at the YW Sheriff King Home site. The YW Sheriff King Home crisis shelter, which operated on this site for nearly 40 years was demolished in October. In late December, heat trace mats were placed on the site in preparation for excavation and backfill work which began on January 4. Thanks to funding received in December, work has begun on the new affordable housing building, which will be constructed along 20th Avenue.

The project team has been diligently reviewing drawings, making decisions on exterior and interior finishes and adjusting the plans to ensure the project remains on track and is able to meet the needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence.

The affordable housing facility is a crucial part of the YW’s plans for the site and supports a significant need in our community for housing that ensures people of all income levels can live and work in our city. This building will provide women and their children with a viable option for stable housing with the added options to access YW’s depth of programs and services.

YW Sheriff King Home crisis shelter moved to a temporary site in the summer and continues to provide women and children fleeing domestic violence with a safe place to stay during construction on the site. A new shelter is planned for the site, along 16th Street and it is anticipated that construction will commence in spring 2022.

We are excited to share a glimpse of what our affordable housing facility will look like.

Street view facing 20th Ave

Example of unit kitchen and seating

Interior courtyard showing affordable housing & shelter facilities

YW recognizes this project creates some added disruption and activity for our immediate neighbors in the area, your patience and support has been, and continues to be greatly appreciated.

November 26, 2021

YW Calgary is excited to share some of the renderings of the interior of the new site! These designs are modern, trauma informed, and beautiful.

The above is an image of the lobby.

This will be the dining area.

An overview of one of the crisis shelter family units.

November 8, 2021

The YW Sheriff King Home Site Redevelopment Project continues to progress. Since our last update the Project team has been diligently reviewing drawings, making decisions on exterior and interior finishes and adjusting the plans as required to ensure that both the housing and shelter buildings will meet the needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence.

The original building was demolished in October. How quickly it came down!

We are currently working on removal of the foundation and basement. All demolished materials are being hauled off site for sorting and recycling and we appreciate your patience during this part of the process.

Since our last update in August 2021, YW successfully moved the YW Sheriff King Home crisis shelter to a temporary site. We continued to operate throughout the move, ensuring that the many women and children who were residing with us at the time were supported through the transition. The temporary site is a newly renovated building, and families have shared how nice their rooms are and how welcoming, bright and ‘new’ the space is.

Contact information for Sheriff King Home has not changed, if someone you know is in crisis they can reach out using the contact information below:

Shelter Information Line: 403.266.4111

24-Hour Crisis Line: 403.266.0707

Email: ywca@ywcalgary.ca

Demolition of Current Facility

We continue to progress through the design phases for the site, the two new facilities and the private courtyard.

Demolition of the existing building, parking lot, sidewalks, lights, sheds and fencing will commence in the coming days. Demolition will occur in phases, starting with the existing building, the north/northeast section of the lot, the south/southwest corner and wrapping up with removal and replacement of some soil, that will support the buildings construction. This will take us through to the end of November.

YW, and our demolition contractor are aware this work can be disruptive and cause dust concerns for immediate neighbours. To mitigate this issue, a water truck will be present on site and water will be sprayed on the structures, rubble, foundations and soil as required. All trucks will cover their loads with tarps prior to leaving the site. Noise control will follow existing Calgary noise bylaws to minimize the impact of the construction activity on the community. Any road closures will comply with City of Calgary’s requirements and local residents will be notified in advance.

If you have any questions about these mitigations or the demolition process, please contact us at: 403.705.5779 or YWDevelopment@ywcalgary.ca

The Sheriff King Home Redevelopment Project continues to move forward!

Following the successful move of the shelter programs to Orion earlier this month, the building is now being prepared for demolition in early to mid-September.

The decommissioning of the building is also complete, with the majority of furniture, household items and toys having gone to YW employees, community members, Women In Need Society and electronic recycling. As a result, we were able to divert a significant amount of materials from the landfill!

Fencing has been installed around the site, and will remain in place throughout the project to ensure neighbours and community members are safe during demolition and site preparations.

A Message from the Inglewood Community Association

“The Inglewood Community Association looks forward to working closely with YW as they embark on this redevelopment project. The new shelter, which will provide critical services for women and their children fleeing domestic violence, will be a welcome change from the existing facility. In addition, the affordable housing component, which is relatively small in size, is a much needed addition to the community.”

– Phil Levson, President, Inglewood Community Association

An Exciting New Chapter Unfolds for YW Calgary’s Sheriff King Home

For nearly 40 years, YW has been providing safety and support for women and children fleeing domestic violence at our Sheriff King Home crisis shelter, located at 2003 16th Street SE. The ongoing pandemic coupled with the persistent economic downturn and the reality that Alberta continues to have one of the highest rates of domestic violence means the need for our services has never been greater.

Our intention has long been to redevelop Sheriff King Home, as the current facility is rapidly approaching the end of its lifecycle. In addition, the intention has been to build permanent and affordable housing for women and children experiencing domestic violence adjacent to the shelter facility. This will allow us to better meet the needs of women and children and support them as they take steps to breaking the cycle of abuse.