By Spencer Sterritt

Staggered move from Discontent City and camp shutdown begins

Nov 30, 2018 | 4:25 PM

NANAIMO — The first Discontent City residents are out of the sprawling homeless camp in downtown Nanaimo and safely in new temporary supportive housing.

Fifteen of Nanaimo’s homeless are expected to be at the housing site on Labieux Rd. by the end of the Friday. They’ll get a private room with bed and desk, as well as access to a kitchen, common room and support staff to help them get off and stay off the streets. A second site at 250 Terminal Ave. is also under construction.

It was a dramatic and emotional move for many.

Angela McNulty-Buell with Pacifica Housing, who operates the 86-unit Labieux Rd. housing development, said she saw smiles and tears on the faces of the first six who moved into their new units.

“It’s a really exciting day to have individuals who’ve slept rough for seven months at Discontent City, likely a lot longer elsewhere, move into their own independent space where they know they’ll be warm, safe and fed,” she told reporters on Friday.

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“To some it may not feel like a lot, but for these individuals it feels like we’ve given them the world.”

Dominic Flanagan, executive director of BC Housing, said the move from a camp on the fringes of downtown Nanaimo to a secure housing site can be exhausting and overwhelming.

“We want to make sure the moves that happen are in a very safe and supportive setting,” he said.

Hot meals were provided to tent city residents before the move on Friday. NanaimoNewsNOW saw roughly 15 BC Housing staff at the site, as well as City staff, paramedics and outreach workers.

 “Everything that’s happening is being done in a very seamless way,” Flanagan said.

Since first opening roughly seven months ago, many tent city residents have turned their camp site into a home and collected numerous possessions.

Flanagan said those moving into the temporary supportive housing are allowed to take prized possessions with them, though there are space and storage limits. It’s unclear at this time what will happen to the many tents and shelters left behind.

Both BC Housing and the City of Nanaimo were confident in claims the tent city will be completely closed by the end of next week, allowing for the site to be cleared and cleaned.

Unfortunately, the temporary supportive housing at Terminal Ave. isn’t as complete as the Labieux Rd. site and can’t yet be opened.

Violet Hayes, executive director of site operator Island Crisis Care Society, said poor weather hampered construction.

“We had quite a bit of rain on Monday which interfered with some things. I believe we’re waiting for BC Hydro.”

Hayes said they expect to open by Monday, Dec. 3.

Though the initial opening date wasn’t met, Hayes said there’s a positive of opening slightly later.

“I think it will help down at the camp,” she said. “Word will get back about how great these rooms are.”

Though residents of Discontent City are moving into housing, it’s not a final solution to Nanaimo’s homeless problem.

Every representative at the press conference on Friday acknowledged there’s a significant amount of work which needs to be done to find a home for everyone.

A homelessness count earlier in 2018 estimated there’s roughly 400 people who are absolutely homeless living in Nanaimo, with thousands more barely getting by.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit