Eskékxwi7ch tl’a Sp’ákw’us Place
Affordable Rapid Housing with Supports for Squamish Nation
Eskékxwi7ch tl’a Sp’ákw’us Place (Gathering Place for Eagles) is a 5-storey modular building featuring 27 studios, one- and two-bedroom units. It will provides safe, long-term rental homes for women and their children with wrap-around supports. The design process was expedited, utilizing innovative, rapid modular construction so that the project could house the Nation members who need it the most as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The development features multi-purpose amenity space, a community art mural, cedar pole, woven blanket and integrates Squamish language inside and outside. This project will help fulfill Squamish Nation’s vision to house all of its members within a generation and will bring members back into the community in a culturally-integrated and supported way.
LOCATION: Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, also known as North Vancouver and Squamish Valley, BC
STATUS: Completed and occupied in 2023
CLIENT: Hiy̓ám ta Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Housing Society
FUNDERS: CMHC’s Rapid Housing Initiative and Squamish Nation
OPERATOR: Hiy̓ám ta Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Housing Society
Lu’ma Development Management (LDM) was responsible for the development management and construction claims management on the project and worked with incredibly fast development and construction timelines. Prior be allowed to develop the the site on-reserve, Hiy̓ám Housing Society had to secure a land designation. LDM helped the Society navigate the complex land designation process mandated by Indigenous Services Canada that included a Nation-wide member referendum to use the land to build affordable housing.