Development
The successful proposal for this project came from Robert Isaac-Renton, a local architect with a strong commitment to the community. Initially, his proposal aimed at creating a mixed seniors/family project to cater to low-income households. However, it became evident that this concept was not feasible on the chosen site due to various challenges.
Subsequently, Isaac-Renton presented a proposal focused solely on affordable housing for seniors. Unfortunately, at that time, there was no available funding for such projects. This predicament led to the creative idea of forming a seniors’ equity co-op, which would allow for the development of affordable seniors’ housing on the site without relying on public funding.
Although a resource group played a minor role in Ambleview’s development, mainly assisting with public education functions like explaining the co-operative housing concept during meetings organized by the architect or the District of West Vancouver the primary development responsibilities fell on the architect’s shoulders. In addition to site assembly and proposal management, the District of West Vancouver also hosted a public meeting to generate interest and support for the project’s development.