10/22/2026
This afternoon at the APHAA 2026 Fall Conference in Kananaskis, The Evergreens Foundation was proud to lead the "Building Considerations" panel. Our CAO Kristen Chambers moderated, and our Director of Portfolio Management, Shyam Sekhar Menon, joined Rob Appleyard (Brentwood Group) and Marisa Redmond (Right at Home Housing) on stage.
The conversation covered both lodge and non-lodge builds, and it went past the ribbon-cutting version:
🏗️ Red tape and approvals, including why utilities coordination needs to start early to keep a project on schedule
💰 Money pitfalls, and why an independent cost estimate is a real check on your builder, not a formality
🔍 Tools for keeping a build on track: owner's representatives, comment tracking and consistent board reporting
🔧 Why handover and the first warranty year matter as much as construction
🎉 Real successes, from our Wildwood Seniors Lodge now under construction to Kikinow Elders Lodge opening in Grande Cache
Thank you to Rob and Marisa for their candour, to APHAA for organizing, and to everyone who brought such thoughtful questions to the mics.
When housing providers share what worked and what didn't, every community builds better.