Wesley Street Project
437-445 Wesley Street is the first City-owned site for supported housing under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BC Housing and the City of Nanaimo. The project will be developed and operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Mid-Island Branch, a well-known local non-profit society. The residence will feature a total of 36 modest studio apartments, each with its own small kitchen and bathroom. Additional space for counselling, individual and group programs, and project administration will be provided on the building's first floor, along with a courtyard for residents to gather and socialize. All units will be constructed for single men and women who are presently living on the street, and who need help to overcome addictions, mental health issues and/or other challenges.
Because it will be a supported housing project, the Wesley Street facility will provide more than just shelter to its residents. Each resident will work with staff from CMHA, the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) and other service providers to develop and follow an individualized program of assistance tailored to meet the needs of that person. Some of the services will be provided on-site; others will be offered at different locations in the community. Case managers from VIHA will help to coordinate the different services that make up each program. CMHA staff will support the case managers, and will provide 24/7 on-site supervision.
The Wesley Street facility will be a "low-barrier" supported housing project. There are no conditions that residents must meet before moving in. By contrast, a medium- or high-barrier housing project might require that residents complete a substance abuse treatment program before entering, and that they maintain their sobriety for the entire period of their tenancy. The low barrier model accepts that people need housing even if they are not yet ready for these kinds of steps. Research done as part of the City's 5-year Action Plan highlighted the serious shortage of low-barrier housing options in Nanaimo, and the critical need for more of this particular type of supported housing.
The housing at Wesley Street will improve the quality of life for those who call the residence home. For these people, the project will be a sanctuary, away from the street, where they can get the help they need. The project will also enhance its immediate surroundings in the downtown precinct of the City. The building will stand out as a high quality, low-rise apartment. It will complement the residential character of nearby neighbourhoods and will help to clean up and improve an under-utilized and distressed block of Nanaimo's downtown.
Community Engagement
During the first part of 2010, CMHA established its development team to begin work on permit applications and building design. The agency began actual construction of the units on May 30, 2011.
Over the course of the pre-construction and construction phases, the City will be working to ensure that neighbours understand the project, remain informed of progress, and have opportunities to ask questions and provide input. The City has published an Overview Brochure to help get people engaged - several hundred copies of the document have already been delivered to homes and businesses close to the Wesley Street site. In the spring of 2010, City elected officials and staff, joined by representatives of CMHA, VIHA and the RCMP, met with local neighbourhood and business associations to discuss the project.
On October 28, 2010, the City and its partners hosted an Open House. At that event, CMHA's development team presented drawings that showed neighbours what the residence will look like, and how it will be positioned on the property. Near the end of the construction process, CMHA will meet with local associations, the City, RCMP and others to begin putting in place a Good Neighbour Committee, or some comparable mechanism to allow for good relationship building and conflict resolution.
Contact Information
|
John Horn
Social Planner, City of Nanaimo 455 Wallace Street
Nanaimo BC V9R 5J6
250-755-4483 |
Anne Hodge
Executive Director, CMHA (Mid Island Branch)
anne.hodge@cmha.bc.ca 250-244-4042, ext 153 |
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