I am a longtime resident of Parksville with a child in a local school. I have worked hard my entire life and been fortunate enough to be healthy and never struggle with addiction or homelessness. And like everyone else, I find the state of homelessness and addiction facing our community utterly abhorrent.
These are just a few of the reasons why I wholeheartedly support the development of 222 Corfield. I want my children to be able to enjoy our parks without fear of discarded needles. I want to be able to shop in downtown Parksville without being confronted by panhandling and begging. I want our police to be able to focus on protecting our community. And I want my children to grow up seeing all people treated with dignity and compassion.
222 Corfield will provide the marginalized in our community a safe place to live.
It will give them a safe place to dispose of their needles, and ultimately the support to get off drugs if and when they decide to do so. It will provide them with access to sanitary living conditions and basic hygiene. In short, it will bring some dignity back to their lives. And in doing so it will make our community, which like it or not is also their community, a safer, more welcoming place.
I support 222 Corfield, for the well-being of my family, my community, and the most vulnerable among us.
Garrin Anderson
Parksville