Just over a year after the Esquimalt Dockyard branch of the Royal Canadian Legion closed its doors, developers broke ground Wednesday for a new facility within a massive seniors development on the same Admirals Road site.
Avenir Senior Living executives and legion representatives tossed dirt into the air at 622 Admirals Rd. to mark the start of construction of the $80-million Vista project, an 11-storey mixed-use building that will house a 181-unit seniors residence and a 5,000-square-foot legion.
A tentative completion date has been set for the summer of 2021.
“Today was a special day for us all — there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into getting the community to this point where we can start construction,” said Jason Craik, principal of Avenir Senior Living.
The project will include several levels of seniors care — independent living, supported living and space to care for those with memory issues — along with commercial space, underground parking and the new legion.
Craik said the building will allow Island seniors to age in place.
“This location gives us the perfect opportunity to build in the heart of a community with great amenities within walking distance for our seniors, which helps enhance their lives.”
When built out over the next 22 months, the project will include 95 independent and supported-living apartments, and 48 studio apartments for seniors requiring memory care, including specialized cognitive care for seniors with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related impairments.
It will also include 38 market-priced condominiums, and a 16,000-square-foot amenity area on the top floor, with a dining room, piano lounge, tea lounge, sports bar, bistro, library, art studio, wellness studio and outdoor lounge.
On the ground level, there will be a 30-seat cinema and a beauty salon beside the legion.
Jim Swanbeck, president of Esquimalt Dockyard Branch 172, said the start of the project means the legion can plan for the future.
“It means we can continue to do what we do for the community,” he said — including offering a variety of seniors’ programming.”
Swanbeck said the new building will go a long way to removing the perception that legions are just places to go for a drink, which could translate into a boost in membership.
“This will be looked at more like a community building,” he said.
“It will help us grow. The new building will be brighter; the old one was quite dated.”
The legion, with about 700 members, closed its doors at 622 Admirals Rd. in 2018 after 46 years in the location. It has a temporary location in the officers’ mess at CFB Esquimalt.
Craik said equipment has been on site for about a month and the company has been doing structural work before construction begins.
He said he loves the central location of the project and expects to see more developments in Esquimalt.
“It’s becoming the new place to invest,” he said.
“It’s a diamond in the rough and there’s not a lot of rough left.”
