New Prideaux St. resident Marlo Mayers (left) speaks with Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson (right) and Andrew Ferguson from Connective Nanaimo inside her new apartment on Friday, April 26. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

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Major supportive housing complex set to open in Nanaimo

Apr 26, 2024 | 12:00 PM

NANAIMO — A long-promised and badly needed supportive housing complex is set to officially open in the city’s downtown.

Cornerstone, located at 285 Prideaux St., is a 51-unit permanent modular supportive housing project, part of a promise through a 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BC Housing and the City to build more supportive and affordable homes.

Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson joined Mayor Leonard Krog for a tour of the new building on Friday, April 26, with Krog saying this new complex is a result of compassion, cooperation, and hard work.

“[This] is a safe, secure place for people to live, to try and restore the damage that’s been done in their lives through a multitude of experiences that many of us, mercifully, never suffer. It is an opportunity to stabilize, to move forward…and to integrate back into the community.”

Located in close proximity to Nanaimo Fire Hall No. 1 and the Nanaimo RCMP detachment, Cornerstone will be operated by Connective Nanaimo, formerly Nanaimo Region John Howard Society.

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The facility will be staffed around the clock, with on-site services including life-skills training, employment assistance, counselling, mental health resources and referrals to other essential services.

The MOU calls for build at least four sites of supportive and affordable housing in Nanaimo, with Cornerstone the second of those buildings to open.

Samaritan Place, on Nicol St., was the first facility to come to fruition in 2022 under the agreement.

The first residents of Cornerstone will come from Newcastle Place, a temporary housing complex at 250 Terminal Ave operated by the Island Crisis Care Society, with tenants starting to move in on May 1, after an occupancy permit from the City was secured on April 15.

(L-R) Connective Nanaimo’s Andrew Ferguson, Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson, Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley, and Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog toured the new housing at 285 Prideaux St. on Friday. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Marlo Mayers is one of those future residents, currently residing in Newcastle Place after living rough on the street for around three years following an eviction.

She was also a resident of Discontent City just south of Port Place Shopping Centre, which was shut down in 2018 and a makeshift encampment on Wesley St. which was closed in late 2020.

Mayers said the support she received helped turn her life around in more ways than simply sheltering her.

“When I got into the compound I was excited, so happy. I ended up with two of the best outreach workers and one of the best bosses. Through them, I’ve gotten a hip replacement, knee replacement, new teeth, glasses, hearing aids. I’ve worked my entire life, my mom passed away and that just pretty much broke me.”

While touring her new unit at Cornerstone, she spoke about how grateful she was to Connective for their help, and how she can now start planning for her future.

“I’ve always been a worker and I plan on getting back to work. Probably back into construction, that was where I loved it the best and I was 20 years construction on the Mainland…maybe even counselling, working with street people, getting more attention to the people who still need help.”

Currently, 250 Terminal Ave. is comprised of temporary transitional housing, which has been in place since 2018.

Future plans for the site involve a pair of five-storey buildings with over 90-units between for single adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and homes for low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities.

The province recently announced three years of funding to continue supporting the transitional housing at 250 Terminal Ave. N, as well as fund 50 additional temporary housing units in the city’s Chase River area.

The newly built supportive housing unit known as Cornerstone at 285 Prideaux St., will start welcoming residents from Newcastle Place on May 1. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow