Just back from the announcement about the new emergency shelter opening in the Downtown Eastside, an unusual one in that the building and cost of renos were donated by mainly by businesses, with the provincial government providing the money to run the shelter. AND all the permits and work got done in a miraculous seven weeks.
It’s got room for 300 carts in the unused basement, a wholesale-food facility at one time, as Housing Minister Rich Coleman was told when he specifically asked about that during the tour of the building.
A pretty nice space with a big open reception area at the front and then individual bedrooms along a hallway behind, with two beds per room.
The St. James Community Society is going to be running it for, they say, up to two years.
Lots of compliments all around, especially between, as we’re becoming accustomed, the housing minister and the mayor.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Jonathan Oldman // Nov 30, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Hi Frances – thank you for coming to the opening this morning. Your readers can learn more about the project and St. James at http://www.sjcss.com/news.
PS… the shelter is at 625 Powell, not 525 (in case anyone wants to refer anyone).
Jonathan Oldman, Executive Director, St. James Community Service Society
2 Bill Lee // Dec 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I wondered at 525 too.
625 Powell used to be
Superior & Allied Store Equip
625 Powell St, Vancouver, British Columbia V6A 3P9 604-253-4511
Categories: Store Fixtures (Wholesale)
and also Sincerity Wholesale Ltd 625 Powell St V6A 3P9Phone: 604-255-2194
Categories: Grocers (Wholesale)
And how will they feel with a new Police billboard down the street.
It used to be that such housing were to away from pubs and bars, but look at that east of Main area now. No pubs or bars. And fewer working men’s labouring jobs on the docks and fisheries either.
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