EDITORIAL New hope for Woodwynn

The Woodwynn Farms saga has entered a new — and hopeful — stage. The provincial government said this week it is spending $6.9 million to buy and upgrade the 78-hectare site in Central Saanich. It will continue to focus on therapeutic recovery for those with substance abuse and mental-health problems.

Unlike its previous incarnation, however, it will not include housing on site for the clients.

For almost a decade, the Creating Homefulness Society tried to operate a residential recovery community at the farm, but it struggled with finances, criticism from neighbours and opposition from the municipality. After the society failed to pay any money on its $4.6-million mortgage, the lenders finally ran out of patience and foreclosed.

The biggest source of conflict was the people who lived on the farm, in violation of municipal and Agricultural Land Reserve rules. The new proposal is to bring people from supportive housing around the region to work the farm as part of a recovery program.

While most therapeutic communities involve people living as well as working together, the plan by B.C. Housing seems like a way to end the battles and focus on the needed programs for those who are seeking recovery.

Although Our Place is not yet involved, the new Woodwynn could be a good fit with the agency’s View Royal recovery program, at the former youth-detention centre.

With effective planning, the mission of Woodwynn Farms can live on.