By Daryl Major

Quality of Life study at noted Nanaimo townhouse

Jun 23, 2016 | 12:16 PM

Vancouver Island University students are helping a housing complex in South Nanaimo with a notorious reputation.

The Community Outreach and Care students have launched a year-long project to address quality of life issues at King Arthur Court in Harewood.

Coordinator Ashleigh Martinflatt admits the residents were surprised at being asked for input.

“When we kind of just went in there and said ‘we’re your neighbours and we want to work with you and let’s talk about this’, shockingly, they were incredibly open to that. At the root of it, to be honest, they’re just wanting to be treated with respect and dignity,” said Martinflatt.

Back in 2010, the City of Nanaimo designated the 36-unit housing complex a nuisance property.

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“Fred Williams and I connected around some of the challenges they’ve been experiencing there, and some of the reputation that they feel like they have garnered from living there. And just discussed how it is we could work together to try and strengthen that community. ”

Williams, the Property Manager at King Arthur Court, believes that by working with VIU, tenants will be able to shift perceptions.