The address is still 70 Arlington Dr. but the name is now Aurora Place.
Habitat for Humanity Edmonton unveiled the new name Wednesday afternoon at the future site of a 30-unit duplex development in St. Albert's Akinsdale neighbourhood.
In choosing a name, the organization wanted something that represented hope, because its slogan is "building homes, building hope," said president and CEO Alfred Nikolai. The process was a bit tricky given they had to start the name with the letter 'A' to adhere to the city's naming convention.
"Aurora, when you look in the dictionary means a new dawn, a new beginning," he said. "We liked it because aurora also means light. It means bright."
Habitat is now accepting applications from families who would like to own one of the homes and is also recruiting volunteers, said board chair Susan Green.
"We feel very strongly that it takes a community to build a community," she said. "We look forward to working with all of St. Albert to make sure that this is a successful build and that the families are welcomed and become active members of this community as they have with every other build."
The land needs to be serviced with water and sewer lines before construction can begin. In June or July Habitat intends to start building the units off-site at its new pre-fabrication shop near Yellowhead Trail in Edmonton, Nikolai said. On-site work should begin in about September.
Habitat plans to complete five units this year, another eight over winter then finish the rest in 2012.
Still controversial
The proposed development stirred up neighbourhood anger as it wound its way through the city's approval process for about a year before getting the green light last fall. The land is a former school site that the local Protestant board didn't need and had been trying to sell for years.
Stephanie Trotter was one of two area residents to attend the name unveiling. She still has ill feelings toward the complex because she doesn't like how council handled the approval and feels property values will suffer in the area.
"I don't like it. I'm not happy with it," she said. "When [residents] bought here they were told a school was going to be built and suddenly there's this."
Nikolai thinks the anger will subside once existing residents start interacting with their new Habitat neighbours.
"I suspect that during the build there will be some people that are going to be fearful or not happy with us but the minute we move families in here, I think those fears will be gone. We've known that in other places that we've built," he said.
"As soon as you get interaction, people understand that these families are just like my parents or just like my kids."
The complex has generated an outpouring of support from St. Albert residents, said Mayor Nolan Crouse.
"While there was opposition by some of the most affected residents, the amount of support we've had on this particular development since the decision was made has been tremendous, so many letters, emails and calls supporting what we've done," he said.
"We're looking forward to seeing dirt moved this spring."
