Williams Lake Association for Community Living B.C. has replaced one of its group homes with the purchase of a new home in Westridge that is completely accessible.
“The one we owned on Western Avenue was a split-level and not at all accessible,” the association’s executive director Ian McLaughlin said. “The people who were living there were having some physical challenges so we needed to find a place that was accessible.”
The house in Westridge the association purchased is about eight years old, and was previously owned by someone in a wheelchair.
It is totally accessible, has an elevator, and was built for someone in a wheelchair, McLaughlin explained.
“It’s perfect for us.”
Two people live in the group home permanently, and there are two respite beds available for two more people.
McLaughlin said they had been looking for something more accessible and when they looked at renovating the home at Western it was not really possible because of the original design.
“We were looking for something that we could renovate, but this worked out really well because it was all ready to go.”
Community Living owns two group homes in Williams Lake and once people move in to one of the houses, they live there for the duration, he added.