Re: Proposed supportive housing project at 222 Corfield St.
This is the most serious project the city of Parksville has had to face. There should have been a referendum. Parksville will pay a heavy price in the long run.
I have talked to hundred of residents who are not in favour of this type of facility. It is not because they have no compassion. Compassion does not enter the picture. Common sense will tell you, you can’t mix clean-living homeless people with those on illicit drugs and mental conditions. It just does not work.
Every one of those opposed to this project would welcome a facility for the clean-living homeless and low-income families. There should be a separate facility for those with mental issues, and rehab for those with addiction — in Nanaimo, where they have more facilities to handle these problems.
I congratulate Coun. Leanne Salter and Coun. Teresa Patterson for making a motion for this very divisive project to go to referendum. Unfortunately their motion was defeated. It is not good enough for Coun. Kirk Oates to say if you don’t like this project, we have an election in the fall. By then it will be too late.
This is not a local issue, it is a federal and provincial problem. It is not good enough for the province to throw money at the city and say, ‘You look after it.’ This is just one issue of many that senior governments are throwing at the cities.
Much more thought has to be given this subject. We must start with the core issues that create these problems in the first place; these aren’t being addressed.
Al Greir
Parksville