A temporary homeless shelter at the former Hardy View Lodge site in Grand Forks has been given another operating extension.
City council agreed last week to a one year extension for the 15-bed shelter at 2320 78th Avenue.
It wasn’t the three years BC Housing had asked for.
Mayor Everett Baker was agreeable to the three years saying the neighbourhood knows the shelter is temporary and there’s been no complaints.
But other councillors like Christine Thompson are frustrated with the apparent inaction from the province after three to four years.
“They’ve just been stalling, in my opinion, and haven’t made any decisions and we need to do something and get the people into a facility where they can receive the supports that they need,” Thompson said in an interview with Vista Radio.
Coun. Thompson wants to see action over the next year.
“I expect that there should be a decision made and that there has to be some shovels in the ground to get something built,” Thompson said.
It’s been almost a year-and-a-half since Mayor-elect Everett Baker and then-Housing Minister David Eby signed a memorandum of understanding for a future supportive housing site.
BC Housing had bought a property at 7382 2nd Street (corner of 2nd Street and Central Avenue) but many including Thompson didn’t feel it was an appropriate site at the entrance to the city’s downtown.
“I did not think and many people did not think that was an appropriate place to have that facility built. It was right on to the entrance into our city and I felt that there were more appropriate places not right in the downtown business area to the entrance,” Thompson said.
Coun. Deborah Lafleur said during the March 4 council meeting there were “a couple of options” BC Housing was looking at for an emergency shelter based on closed door meetings.
Coun. David Mark was the only one on council to vote against the one year extension. He said he was rubbed the wrong way by BC Housing and said they agency is “dishonest and untruthful with us.”