Powell River Regional Hospital District board has amended the lease on the building and property at 5907 Arbutus Avenue in Townsite, currently operated by Miklat Recovery House Society.
At a special meeting of the hospital board on November 8, directors voted to transfer the lease to Together We Can Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society (TWC), and to remove a clause that provides for the hospital district to terminate the lease for any reason or no reason by providing the tenant with 90 days’ notice.
qathet Regional District (qRD) manager of operational services Patrick Devereaux said on September 27, representatives of TWC and Miklat presented to the regional board a request for the changes to the lease, and the main reason is that TWC has been told they will get a $600,000 grant from a foundation, but the foundation didn’t like the fact that TWC could lose the building on 90 days’ notice.
“The idea was that the building could be pulled out from them,” said Devereaux. “Staff did contact our lawyers about this and the lawyers didn’t have a problem with removing that clause. If TWC didn’t use the building for its intended purposes or they did not occupy the building at all, the board could withdraw the lease.”
Devereaux said the lease expires in 2040, so in 16 years from now, if the board changes its mind about the use of that property, or if there is a higher calling for it, they can make the change quite readily at that time.
City of Powell River director and hospital district chair George Doubt said he had spoken with some representatives of Miklat and they are excited about the partnership with TWC and for the potential funding. He said it will result in a 12-bed extended treatment centre that the city seriously needs.
“They have been talking to Vancouver Coastal Health about transitioning from detox beds into longer-term recovery and talked about the possibility, which is very much needed, for a treatment centre for women in this region,” said Doubt. “It’s something that doesn’t exist. If the board approves this, then TWC will be able to login to that funding and move forward.
“What we’ve wanted to see is an actual treatment centre happening on our piece of property.”
qRD Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said removing the contentious clause makes sense.
“It definitely seems a bit heavy-handed on the side of the landlord – termination without cause,” said Fall. “I’m pleased to hear the comments from Mr. Devereaux that if there is cause, there can be termination, but really, it’s now saying we can’t terminate without cause. Removing it makes sense. It gives the tenants certainty moving forward to get the investments that are needed to get better use of the facility.”
According to a staff report, drug and alcohol recovery beds are lacking in the regional district area and TWC, with grants in hand, provides an excellent opportunity to bring additional treatment to the area.
“Miklat recovery society recognized that it needed assistance and reached out to a larger organization with a greater reach,” the report stated. “The transfer of the lease to TWC and the removal of clause 29 were the conditions asked by the proposed leaser.
“The lease amendment will allow the site to develop into a treatment facility and gives the board time to consider any other uses that may come forward over the next decade and a half. Staff believe this is a good use and good planning for the property.”
The board voted to transfer the lease and to remove the termination clause.
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