Public information meeting shows strong support for shelter in basement of Christ the King-owned building at 599 Gower Point Road
By Margot Grant
A homeless shelter with mats for 15 people that could open as soon as February 1 in a church basement at 599 Gower Point Road got strong support at a public information meeting on Monday.
More than half of the 60 local residents who crammed into the basement voiced their support, and Pastor Matt Rowan of the Christ the King congregation, which owns the building, said the church board will make its decision this week.
BC Housing is willing to fund a temporary shelter open every weeknight in the building from February 1 until March 31, and RainCity Housing could operate it with the help of volunteers, said Nick Gaskin, manager of Sunshine Coast Homelessness Services for RainCity Housing which also operates the Upper Deck shelter in Sechelt.
The basement room has two bathrooms and a kitchen, but no shower; the plan is to find a place to shower and do laundry in Gibsons.
Support for the proposal covers a wide spectrum: Mayor Wayne Rowe and Councillor Silas White said the Town of Gibsons backs the shelter, as does the Sunshine Coast Homeless Advisory Committee (SCHAC), a collective of Vancouver Coastal Health, the Affordable Housing Society, the Salvation Army, the municipality of Gibsons, the District of Sechelt, the Sunshine Coast Regional District, St. Hilda’s, Sunshine Coast Community Services, MLA Nicholas Simons (Powell River-Sunshine Coast — NDP) and MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones (West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country — Liberal) ).
Because the building is zoned for public assembly, no rezoning or public hearing is required, but the organizations involved wanted to inform and involve the neighbourhood at the public information meeting.
During the first half hour, a number of concerns were raised about alcohol and substance abuse, loitering and noise. Reverend Clarence Li of St. Hilda’s Church in Sechelt, which has hosted a homeless shelter for the past five years, said there were some complaints about noise and littering when that shelter opened, but they were quickly resolved when RainCity Housing took over the operation two years ago,.
“They are right on it,” he said. “They explain to the clients how important it is to maintain good relations with the neighbours, and it works.”
Nick Gaskin, manager of Sunshine Coast Homelessness Services for RainCity Housing, said he would give his cellphone number to people in the neighbourhood so they can call him at any time if there is a problem.
“We are accountable. Things will be solved the same day or the next day.”
The volunteers will receive training, and there will always be a RainCity staff member on site, Gaskin said. Rowan added that Christ the King has a strict policy of no drugs on the premises.
Gaskin added that there will be resources to help clients with more than just a place to sleep; White said there will be money to help people get back into the workforce.
Gaskin said there is a great need for the shelter. At least 20 of the more than 91 registered homeless people on the Coast are in Gibsons, and the Upper Deck shelter in Sechelt is at capacity; three to eight people have to be turned away every day and their only option is to camp in the bush.
After concerns were addressed, several homeless people spoke. “I have been in shelters a few times in my life,” one man said. “Without them, I would have died. These people are refugees, man!”
“There but for the grace of God, I go,” said a local resident. “All of us could be in this situation. I support this, my name is on the volunteer list.”
“A shelter is just a stopgap measure. The solution is affordable, subsidized housing,” another resident said to applause.
‘We have small children, and I want them to grow up in a community with people who step up and help when they see a need,” another said.
“I fully support this. Why would you be afraid of them? I was homeless, I got out of that situation, and I don’t think anybody in this room is afraid of me,” a woman said. “You have to lend a hand.”
Rowe said he was quite moved by the response of the public. “Give us 60 days, and see what we can do with this,” he said.
“This is a great opportunity. I was moved by how people came up with solutions,” White said.
Cayce Laviolette of SCHAC said he was “amazed” by the outpouring of public support. “There is a lot of compassion and warmth here in Gibsons.”
Rowan told The Coast Clarion he was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the response. “Frankly, I didn’t know what to expect.”
Gaskin believes the meeting changed hearts. “But there may have been more people with concerns — they may have been afraid to voice them. I hope to hear from them, they mean just as much.”
People who want more information or want to help out as volunteers:
schomelesscommittee@gmail.com, or call 604-741-7023.
It is heart-warming to hear of this response from both citizens and local government. I would like to comment on “money to get them into the workforce” though. Some homeless people are already in the workforce. It is a scandal when even having a full time job doesn’t guarantee shelter. This highlights the comment made about how homeless shelters need to be temporary and it is the housing crisis that needs to be fixed.
I was at this Monday evening “information meeting”, and I regard this report as totally misrepresentative.
This ‘presentation’ came across as an ‘advertisement’, with absolutely no factual substantiation of realistic factors, nor any consultation with the currently resident neighbourhood.
The site’s building is not sufficiently large; the BC Housing funding is not sufficient in either ‘term’ or ‘extent’ (hence the continual request for “volunteers”, to do all kinds of demanding functions); and, the presiding officials openly stated that they had not (collectively) explored other possible sites — such as the abandoned former RCMP site opposite the Gibsons Legion, which is more than twice the size and capacity of this currently proposed site.
As a result, I consider this proposal as less of a motivation to provide temporary accommodation for some homeless people and more of a self-projection of a Councillor or two within a movement for consideration during next Fall’s Election campaign.
As a result of all this ‘disconnection’, and the BC Housing’s possible funding to terminate at the end of March, I see this proposal as a non-starter.
The abandoned former RCMP site opposite the Gibsons Legion? That’s a great idea!!! I bet it has showers, and the laundromat is just down the road from there too…