Planned Parksville seasonal shelter receives key endorsement

During her delegation at the Wednesday, Sept. 9 council meeting, Day stated the shelter’s various requirements to operate, including accountability measures, will include a good neighbour’s agreement.

“This is also a temporary pilot, any future continuation would return for review and would remain subject to municipal review.”

Day stated the service, planned to be a modular structure, would have at minimum two trained staff members on site at all times.

She said the shelter would be “a bridge out of crisis,” providing more than a place to sleep at night.

“Overnight, it provides safety. During the day it provides stabilization, case management, life skills support, housing navigation, and coordinated referrals.”

No walk-up lineups and outdoor congregation outside the shelter would be permitted, Day emphasized during her presentation.

She said clear dry site rules would apply.

A Sept. 23 community engagement session with area residents is planned.

A contact phone line would be staffed 24 hours a day, she said, with all complaints documented and followed up on, Day told the meeting.

“Accountability is not something we plan to add later, it is built into the program from the very beginning.”

The shelter application includes separate sleeping, washroom, and program spaces, according to Day.

Day’s application listed the old Parksville water tower location on the Alberni Hwy. as a potential location, but council opted for the Pioneer Cres. lot following a motion from Coun. Amit Gaur.

Parksville Council unanimously approved the Pioneer Cres. site, despite Gaur stating he personally has concerns about potential negative community impacts.

Coun. Mary Beil said she and her council colleagues receive correspondence from people not happy about the unhoused occupying doorways and other public areas.

“But we never receive letters asking for more people to be out on the street unhoused, I haven’t received a single one, so that does speak to the need and the desire of the larger community.”

The Oceanside area has had extreme weather shelters during the winter in the past, but not a consistent, nightly offering.

Support in principal for Day’s shelter bid had previously been received from the City of Parksville and Regional District of Nanaimo.

Editor’s note: NanaimoNewsNOW is anticipating a response from BC Housing by Friday afternoon regarding financial and operating requirements needed to start the service. This article will be updated when a response is provided.

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by Ian Holmes

Planned Parksville seasonal shelter receives key endorsement

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