City of Powell River councillors have received a package of correspondence regarding the proposed new supportive housing development on Joyce Avenue, which expresses opinions both pro and con.
At the October 8 committee of the whole meeting, councillor George Doubt made a motion to receive a correspondence package on the proposed BC Housing supportive living project. Councillor Jim Palm said to receive all the many well-written letters with just the wave of a hand is something he just can’t do.
“I need to make reference to a few of these that I have spent time reading,” said Palm. “There are some comments that stood out. I’m not going to mention any names but I am going to make reference to a few of the points that were brought up.”
The first piece of correspondence Palm referred to was from a resident at Kiwanis Village who is a senior. He said the writer stated that there were disturbances every other day and drugs being used in the open and overdosing, harming seniors who just want to live in peace. He said the correspondence stated that hospital staff are overwhelmed and there is a lack of professional caregivers.
Palm said the next piece of correspondence he wanted to review was from a 37-year-old resident who indicated that Powell River was a great, small, quiet community and a great place to raise a family.
“I voted for you thinking you had our best interests at heart, but there is so much anger and upset now,” the letter writer stated.
From a resident who lives in the vicinity of the existing supportive living facility on Joyce Avenue, the writer asked what is happening, according to Palm.
“Many homeless have relocated here,” the writer stated. “Do we need another facility is the question.”
Palm said another writer said they were absolutely horrified that council wants to put another building in the beautiful town of Powell River.
Councillor and committee chair Rob Southcott said he was sorry to interrupt Palm, but these 52 pages of correspondence regarding the proposed housing project, which represents a great deal of input from the community, could all be read by councillors. He said it will be highly pertinent to discussion on the matter at the October 10 city council meeting.
Palm said the point he wanted to make is he encourages the residents of Powell River who are concerned about this topic to go into the committee of the whole agenda package and look for themselves at the many comments that have been made by fine residents that have voiced their concerns.
“They are well-written and they have taken tremendous time, care and attention to writing these letters,” said Palm. “Their heart is in the documentation. Without a doubt, we should listen to the residents as we ponder our next steps in the process.”
Councillor George Doubt said he wanted echo what Southcott has said.
“I believe that everyone at this table have read, as I did, every one of the letters that has come in,” said Doubt. “I have thought about them and evaluated the statements that are there.
“I know that the Westview Ratepayers had a meeting and I know what was said at the meeting. I can tell from the letters that there is a similar pattern of facts that comes in a lot of letters, and that’s people saying what they have heard.”
Doubt said he would be talking at the October 10 council meeting about what he thinks the facts are and what he thinks is controllable by council.
“I want to assure everybody who sent a letter, that I read each and every one of them, evaluated each and every one of them, and will take their sentiments into account when I’m making a decision.”
The motion to receive the correspondence passed unanimously.
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