Parksville has never had a more important issue on our doorstep than the proposed downtown shelter and housing project. We deserve the whole truth of the matter.
I believe this building is designed for people with mental health issues, drug addictions, poor social behaviours and difficulty integrating in society. Being in the public eye while navigating the hardest challenges of life is not helpful.
Homeless people are signing the petition asking for a better location, too. Citizens need to be safe in the community and people with challenges need respectful privacy.
There isn’t any requirement for people living in this building to seek treatment or mental health services. It’s not transitional housing to get them on their feet. It will be their permanent home where they can continue their drug use or other lifestyle choices. Coupling a shelter that sees many transients in the same building that allows drug use is also not wise.
Hope is not enough to overcome others’ mental health and drug addictions.
If they aren’t required to get help, they aren’t required to be downtown.
This is putting people who are high-risk and (may not) do well around others in close contact with responsible public, children and tourists. Directly across the street there is a Berwick seniors complex planned along with a child care centre.
Our community has some of the most wise, educated, and lived experience in all of Canada and our leaders could use our input.
We deserve a public question and answer period with the people responsible so that we can know the truth.
I expect honesty, transparency, and integrity from those who are elected to make decisions on our behalf and right now I am feeling let down on those qualities. Downtown Parksville is the wrong location.
Adam Fras
Parksville