Gord Kennedy (left) and Kari White (right) watched on Thursday, among a small group of former residents who used to call the crumbling building home. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

end of an era

VIDEO: Former Sanala residents watch their old homes get torn down

Jul 14, 2023 | 9:31 AM

NANAIMO — Despite watching excavator dear down their old homes torn down piece by piece, residents of the former Sanala complex said it was a day of celebration.

Workers continued their dismantling of the shuttered affordable housing complex on Thursday, July 13 as a small group of former residents watched on, remembering the time they were left with little option but to live in squalor at the Fifth St. site.

Kari White was a Sanala resident for three years and led a resident campaign to force BC Housing to take action. She told NanaimoNewsNOW it’s a good day.

“It was exciting, it made my day. We have all been waiting a very, very long time for this, we’ve been [for] fighting this especially for the last three years so seeing this all come together, it’s finally happening.”

Rents at Sanala were geared towards income and those living at the property when it closed in spring 2021 were moved to other affordable housing facilities and charged the same rate as they had been paying at Sanala.

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Constant reports of dilapidated buildings and other major issues plagued the building. Toxic mould, asbestos and pests were just a few of the concerns raised by residents at the site located in Nanaimo’s Harewood neighbourhood.

Crews have been stripping away materials from the former affordable housing complex for weeks, however major demolition took place Thursday. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

White watched on Thursday afternoon with Gord Kennedy, who called Sanala home for over 15 years.

“It was not a healthy place for anybody to be and we have over 70 children in our community and not only were our children exposed but we were exposed to all of this too,” White said.

Despite not sharing common areas on the property, the resident group remains close, although White admitted remaining connected was a challenge.

She said they’re all looking forward to the future.

“It’s impacted all of us because we had spent the first few years of the pandemic building this community bubble and now we’re all spread out across the city. We’re all very excited to be together once again very soon.”

Barring any hurdles raised through City of Nanaimo processes including re-zoning, public hearings, bylaw and permitting stages, a new 390-unit rental housing complex will take Sanala’s place.

BC Housing is leading the Te’tuxwtun development on three lots, including a former school house at the west end of the site and current City field in the middle.

Original visions for the property were for 34 units to directly replace Sanala, however latest drafts now outline nearly 400 housing units across the three lots.

The affordable and market rental stock will be funded by BC Housing.

White said the Sanala residents are very involved with BC Housing on the new development, taking regular meetings and providing feedback.

A public hearing on re-zoning the properties along Fifth St. to accommodate the proposed development is expected later this year.

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