Many residents of Orca Place won't have personal effects to fill their rooms, but are expected to quickly make each suite feel like home. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Spencer Sterritt

orca place

Parksville supportive housing getting move-in ready

Aug 16, 2019 | 12:36 AM

PARKSVILLE — The finishing touches are being put in place before more than 50 people experiencing or close to experiencing homelessness have a new place to thrive.

Orca Place, an $8.4 million supportive housing complex at 222 Corfield Dr. S, is nearly complete. Rooms are currently being furnished and amenities installed in time for the first residents arriving on Aug. 19.

Housing operator Island Crisis Care Society will have support staff on-hand to help those who struggle in ways both big and small getting adjusted to a new, safer life.

Society executive director Violet Hayes told NanaimoNewsNOW they’re prepared for a wide-variety of people to start moving in.

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“There will be some who don’t know how to maintain their room, so we’ll come alongside them and help organize and keep it tidy,” she said.

“There will be some who have lived 20, 30 years in their own place and they’ve been on the street for maybe a year or two. They’re going to pick up and it’s not going to be so difficult for them.”

Hayes said she was thrilled to hear some incoming residents are excited to make cookies for their neighbours using the stoves found in certain suites.

Only 52 people could be selected out of the 118 who applied.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit