After several delays, the construction of Zappone Manor is underway in Cloverdale. Originally set to open in September of 2025, the opening date is now scheduled for January, 2026.
The Cloverdale Reporter covered the groundbreaking ceremony for the project—an affordable care home for seniors—earlier this year in March, which itself was a delay from September 2023. Now, after several more delays, the project’s been pushed back again says Mike Garisto.
Garisto, president and CEO of Columbus Homes, the organization building the care home, was on site Sept. 10. He said the most frustrating thing about the project, now going on more than six years, is the “lack of communication” from City Hall.
“It’s been a challenge getting here,” said Garisto. “I’m not really happy with the delays the project has had. The City of Surrey has been quite difficult.”
He said the hardest part of the whole project was just getting their paperwork done with the City. He added the City did help them apply for some housing accelerator grants to help offset some of the increased costs.
“The (money) was helpful to the project, but it didn’t make up for lost costs that were incurred by the delays,” Garisto explained. “This is a project that should’ve been completed by now. This type of housing is in desperate need in this community.”
Garisto said the project is four months behind from when they got the original excavation permits.
“It’s the bureaucracy and lack of communication at City Hall,” Garisto explained. “The Planning Department doesn't seem to be getting things done. It just drags on and on. We’ve been at this (project) for six-and-a-half years.”
He noted there is “nothing complicated” about the building and its design. It started out as a $15 million project in 2017 and has now doubled to $30 million.
“Columbus Homes has had to come up with a bunch of extra money,” Garisto added. “We received a federal grant and a grant from the provincial government to continue to make this project viable.”
The City of Surrey has acknowledged the current system needs to change. In a press release Sept. 10, Mayor Brenda Locke said the city has been working to improve the land development and permitting process that developers face when attempting to build in the city.
"Improvements have been made in a number of areas including shortening review timelines, expanding online permitting services, and introducing incentives and exemptions to encourage more affordable housing projects," Locke said. But we must go further. The City must continue to evolve from a model of regulation to one of facilitation. Building on the advancements that have been made, this new motion will seek to further streamline the process, cut unnecessary red tape, and reduce timelines.”
The new motion—which Surrey City Council passed at its regular meeting Sept. 9—directed to staff to look at the process and focus on three areas while it prepares a report for council to review before Christmas: 1.) look at streamlining the rezoning and development processes, 2.) consider way to innovate and automate, and 3.) to develop a model for best practices.
"We are on the path toward building an even more dynamic and responsive city," Locke added.
Despite the lengthy delays, Garisto said he was “thrilled” the project was finally moving forward.
“I’m just really glad we’re where we are today,” he said. “Now the project’s underway and I don’t anticipate any delays from here on in.”
Site superintendent Nigel Mack said work is currently being done on the foundation.
“We're going to start putting a footing around the perimeter,” said Mack. “That should take us about three days. And then we need to put all the steel [rebar] in. Then we’ll start to pour [the foundation] next week.”
Along with the foundation, several large concrete footing blocks, about 14’ x 14’ each, will be buried below the pillars to help distribute the weight and add stability in the clay-infused soil.
Once the base is in, work will begin on construction of the concrete walls.
“We just need to get in the base for the foundation and then get our slab on grade,” added Mack. “Once that’s in, that will seal it all off. That’ll make work a little easier.”
The overall project is being done in a partnership between the Seniors Citizens Housing of South Surrey Society (SCHSSS) and Columbus Homes, an organization sponsored by the Knights of Columbus councils of greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in an effort to provide affordable housing for seniors.
The total cost of the project is about $30 million, including the value of the land (about $11 million), which is being provided by SCHSSS. Columbus Homes is kicking in about $4.7 million, the Province of B.C. is providing $6.2 million, and the project has received some federal accelerator grants. The rest of the funding will be covered by a mortgage.
Garisto said rents will run about 30 to 50 per cent below market rates.
Zappone Manor, named for lifelong Cloverdalian Bruno Zappone, will be located at 5956 176A Street. Zappone passed away in 2021. He was a longtime volunteer, past Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce president, volunteer firefighter, heritage supporter, member of the Lions Club, and champion of all things Cloverdale.
