Redesign ordered for homeless housing project

The design of a controversial housing complex for homeless people will be revised to make it more attractive.

Changes are to be made to the look of the the project, near the corner of Enterprise Way and Commerce Avenue, Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran announced Monday.

“Given that many neighbours have acknowledged the important need for this type of housing in our community and support the use, we are hopeful the amendments will address the concerns of the neighbourhood,” Basran said at Monday’s regular council meeting.

At the recommendation of staff, council was expected to approve the form and character of the project, designed to provide a safe sleeping space for 55 homeless people.

But when the item came up for council’s consideration, Basran announced B.C. Housing’s apparent willingness to revise the project’s design. Council unanimously deferred the matter to a later date.

Nearby business owners had raised objections to the look of the proposed housing complex, describing it as two stacked work trailers that didn’t fit in with what they said was the high-quality nature of other development in the area.

“I think we’re partly relieved we’ll have an opportunity in the future to provide our input into the type of construction we’d like to see on that site,” said Tony Gaspari, one of the original developers of Mill Creek Commerce Park.

Other local buildings designed to house formerly homeless people, such as NOW Canada’s project on Tutt Street in the South Pandosy neighbourhood and a building on St. Paul Street in downtown Kelowna, illustrate the kind of high-quality projects that can be undertaken, Gaspari said.

“Those are very successful, very good projects,” he said. “We would welcome that kind of project in our area.

“We want to help homeless people, believe me,” he said.

“But to stick them in beat-up work camp trailers from the oilfields, what good is that to anyone?”

The Kelowna project is similar to others that have been announced around the province by the NDP government.

Victoria intends to spend $291 million to build 2,000 modular housing units over the next two years, plus another $170 million to provide around-the-clock staffing and support services at the complexes.