Spruce Ave’s new supportive housing project
Indigenous-led Ambrose II coming to the area
Late last year, NiGiNan Housing Ventures received nearly 0.3 hectares of land from the City of Edmonton to develop Ambrose Place II, which will provide permanent housing to people living on the streets. Following four similar Indigenous-led recovery homes, this 60-unit facility would house those with complex medical and social needs. The approved land sits at the southwest corner of the Spruce Avenue area, north of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital and east of Kingsway Mall.
An information session was held at the original Ambrose Place in the heart of Chinatown. The room quickly filled with engaged citizens, community league representatives and local elected officials. Christine Davies, NiGiNan’s director of housing and programs, led the session along with Lauren Staples and Tai Ziola from Dialog Architectural Design, and David Gibbs from Chandos Construction amongst others.
The centre is named after Ambrose Daniels, who was born and raised in the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement. He was an iron and oil worker for most of his life until he fell into addiction after health complications on the job. Unable to access services because of substance abuse, he contracted pneumonia and died living unhoused on the streets of Edmonton. Through Ambrose Place, NiGiNan carries his spirit forward in developing compassionate services for the Indigenous community. The suites in Ambrose II will be designed to relieve hospitals of repeat visits from people needing higher levels of care because of disabilities.
It did not take long for residents of the area to bring up several well-thought-out questions, paraphrased here along with responses:
Regarding visitors, would the site become a gathering place or hangout for homeless people in the area?
NiGiNan: No. Visitors are limited to family and close friends, and only by arrangement and approval by residents and staff. The outdoor areas are also fenced and private.
Is there on-site care for residents to prevent constant ambulances disrupting the nearby neighbourhood and residents of the facility?
NiGiNan: Yes. There will be 24/7 access to licensed practical nurses, as well as home care aides and other professionals. Currently, there are about 10 staff members at the existing Ambrose facility during peak hours. There will also be additional support embedded through Recovery Alberta, including occupational and recreational therapists, psychiatrists, and Indigenous counselling to help keep residents in the program.
How will residents engage with the surrounding community?
NiGiNan: Generally, residents don’t leave the site, and there is an outdoor fenced, private area available to them. As for community engagement, well-trained staff will communicate openly with neighbours and meet with residents to encourage healthy relationships with the community when visiting parks or leaving the building.
Will tents and homeless people who are not residents of the facility be allowed to set up around the perimeter?
NiGiNan: Staff will do their best to conduct perimeter checks and connect people in the encampment with off-site services. If the situation is unsafe for the community, the city will get involved. Nearby residents will also have a contact number to reach Ambrose II staff with concerns, as well as a Facebook page.
With the abundance of infill in the area, parking is already squeezed. How will the site affect parking?
NiGiNan: Limited on-site parking will be available for 11 vehicles, along with a bicycle shelter. Proximity to transit was a major factor in the site selection, and staff are expected to use transit as much as possible.
Councillor Anne Stevenson: Residents should look for changes to the Spruce Avenue residential parking program coming Q1 2027 which should help alleviate some of the pressure.
Dialog’s Tai Ziola affirmed the company’s commitment to supportive, affordable housing and expressed appreciation for NiGiNan’s dedication to a “dignity-first” approach. She noted that the space is designed to be culturally appropriate and trauma-informed, as well as constructed with high-quality materials meant to last. Ziola also credited Chandos Construction as a values-driven leader in energy-efficient and sustainable design and pointed to considerations for the community such as following zoning bylaws, preserving legacy trees, and positioning the entranceway to the south to minimize traffic.
Ziola and Staples walked through various features of the interior design, including sightlines allowing the front desk to monitor the entire space, as well as a variety of engagement levels residents could feel comfortable with. Residents were given the floor to ask questions of Dialog and David Gibbs of Chandos.
Won’t there be problems with emergency and construction vehicles finding parking on the street?
Dialog: Although that’s outside of our control, further discussions may need to take place between the City and NiGiNan Housing Ventures.
How are residents funded in the program? Do they have to cook for themselves, and is that safe?
NiGiNan: All residents receive Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH). About a third of their $1,900 to $1,940 monthly payment goes toward rent. They are charged $424 a month for food, with additional charges for laundry and utilities. Residents can spend the remainder on their own. Residents have access to a fridge, hotplate and microwave if they’re deemed capable, but most will depend on the cafeteria for meals.
What is the timeline for completion?
Chandos: The project has a two-year timeline, with shovels in the ground starting in July.
Are you removing all the legacy trees in the area?
Chandos: Although there are a couple of big trees coming down, four of them will stay, as well as existing boulevard trees, which will be protected.
Dialog: We are also adding many trees and other foliage to the landscape as noted on the plans.
What can we expect for construction traffic and disruptions in the area?
Chandos: We will be very mindful of sediment tracking and drainage. Street parking will be closed for trailers, and the area will be fenced off. Alley access will remain a priority, with trucks blocking it only when necessary and for brief periods of time. At peak,a year into construction, there will be about 50 workers on-site with site noise kept within city bylaws. Overnight or early-morning truck noise will not be allowed, but there will always be an open line of communication for ongoing concerns. As for cranes, the boom may need to overlap residential space, but Chandos will inform affected residents in advance. The crane being considered will also have a tilt boom that moves out of the way when not in use.
One resident noted that, for construction parking, there have been past agreements with Kingsway Mall to use available space as a solution. It was also noted that there may be overlap with construction of a new school in the area as a concern.
What will site security look like during construction?
Chandos: There will be cameras on-site, with in-person security deployed when needed.
A few attendees noted some of the challenges of the area in keeping people off the site and from starting fires needs to be addressed with more scrutiny.
Overall, it was an informative meeting, with the community showing that their ideas and advice are important considerations. There was agreement that this was a first step in the engagement process, and that community leagues need to play a role in continuing the exchange. Beyond the concerns, there was agreement that moving residents off the street and into permanent supportive housing will benefit an already troubled area, saving time and money for an overburdened care system.
I did some work at the original Ambrose Place. Fantastic staff and a valuable service. Glad to see this!