I write as a former Parksville resident who now lives in Nanaimo and worked in Qualicum Beach this summer, watching the situation unfold with the supportive housing project.
I celebrated the approval of a project that can help so many, and build the community to be safer and more prosperous.
I felt deep sadness to see the headline “Group raising money to stop Parksville supportive housing project” in the newspaper on July 19. I understand the fear that people feel about housing groups of adults struggling with mental health, addictions and poverty, but I don’t understand the lack of education into the research on the subject, before the systematic fight against a project that is designed to benefit Parksville Qualicum Beach.
It isn’t just those who were gifted with resilience, family, friends and the ability to live life in healthy ways that have the right to live in society, but every person. And each person deserves an opportunity to live as well as they possibly can. Not everyone can do for themselves on the same level. It is not always a matter of laziness, but incredibly complicated issues such as generational trauma, mental health that is paralysing yet invisible to see, and sometimes a series of events that put people into a state you cannot imagine.
As a community I ask you to do some research into this before you fight it. Ask yourselves how pushing this project to the side will solve the problems associated with homelessness. I know many have made up their minds and aren’t even interested in the research but I implore you to be open to the opportunity this is presenting to Oceanside to be a healthier and more prosperous community. I get the fear of the unknown, but maybe the facts will speak to you.
Lindsay Huddlestan
Nanaimo