Some residents say their experience with the Dowler Place facility for the homeless has been better than expected, but city funding is about to run out
A neighbourhood that appears to have found an uneasy peace with a controversial North Park facility to help homeless people is bracing for potential changes that could upset the current situation.
Some North Park residents say their experience with the 2155 Dowler Pl. facility, which was established to help people find housing and treatment services, has been better than expected, but they fear what might happen when city funding runs out for the facility on Monday.
“Under the current model, it’s been reasonably quiet, but I think at the same time we’re all very aware around here that that current model could easily change at any time, especially with the city funding about to run out,” said North Park business owner Firmin Wyndels. Wyndels said if the neighbourhood hadn’t raised concerns with the city, “it could have been much worse.”
“This is currently not the drop-in centre that was going to have hundreds of people here,” he said. Instead, it caters to about 30 people and has not led to dozens of people hanging around the neighbourhood.
But once the city funding runs out, there might be some “loss of accountability to the community,” Wyndels said.
The facility on Dowler Place, operated by SOLID Outreach Society, was established with help from the City of Victoria, which provided $300,000 to help SOLID buy the property at the corner of Dowler Place and Princess Avenue, while offering up to $1.8 million in operating funding for one year.
That money runs out June 30.
According to the city, there is no intention to renew any agreement for operational funding.
In a statement, the Ministry of Housing said neither it nor B.C. Housing is involved with the Dowler facility.
While it didn’t comment directly when asked if it would provide funding to allow the facility to continue as is, the ministry said: “We know there is more work to do and we’re ready to work with and listen to our municipal partners to enhance the programs we offer.”
A SOLID spokesperson told theTimes Colonistthe group is looking for a new source of funding to keep the doors open.
There was no hint what it might do if the funding can’t be found, but it’s believed the society would either have to close its doors or change the services it offers to raise more money.
Daryl Simpson, president of Townline development company, which is involved with two construction projects on Pandora Avenue, said the company has been encouraging continued funding for facilities like Dowler.
“We’re imploring government to try new and different things because clearly what we’re doing is not working relative to the amount of resources we’re putting against it.”
Before the facility opened, residents of the area, which includes the Island Farms dairy plant across the street, a residential neighbourhood to the east and Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre a block to the south, pleaded with the city not to allow it.
Many said they feared open drug use, increased theft and threats from clients using the facility.
According to figures provided by Victoria police, there were 35 calls for service in the immediate area between Jan. 1 and May 21 this year while Dowler was in operation. At the same time last year, before Dowler was in operation, there were 46 calls for service.
Gary Streight, who lives in the area, admitted it has been better than they had expected, but he chalks that up to the neighbourhood forcing the operation to comply with the zoning, noting SOLID was limited to having only 30 people on site at any one time.
[email protected]
>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor:[email protected]