The atmosphere was tense, and frustration palpable as hundreds of residents gathered on Monday (Sept. 24) for a community meeting about the Dowler Place facility, set to open in the coming months in the North Park neighbourhood.
As the event began at 7 p.m., a long line of speakers formed behind a single microphone to voice their questions and concerns about the facility designed to provide services and housing for Victoria’s homeless community.
Residents poured in to share their personal views to a panel that included Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto, alongside Jack Phillips and Mark Willson of SOLID Outreach – the organization responsible for operating the facility.
The meeting, which concluded nearly two hours later, took place in the Ambrosia Banquet and Events room on Fisgard Street, which far exceeded its maximum capacity of 200 people.
One of the night’s first speakers expressed her concern about the city's current approach to addressing homelessness, arguing that Dowler Place would not resolve the issue.
“When I look at the other places in town, it doesn't matter where they are, whether it's North Park or Ellis [Street] or the 900 block of Pandora; they are disaster zones,” said a woman. “I believe that we are on a road that's going to get worse and worse and worse.”
A few interventions later, a teacher at George Jay Elementary, located less than a kilometre away from 2155 Dowler Pl., voiced worries about her students' safety.
“When the SOLID started at North Park, we saw a notable uptake in the amount of drug paraphernalia that the children were bringing into the schools after recess,” she said. “What are you going to do for the children of this community to keep them safe?”
In response to citizens' concerns, Willson and Phillips explained the services the facility will offer to the street community and the safety measures in place to prevent potential issues.
“Our focus is always on people coming inside to access the services we're offering and that’s how we run things at Cook and North Park,” said Willson in an interview with Black Press Media. “We don't really tolerate people just hanging, dealing, or camping out front. We tell them to come in, access the service and then move on.”
“[The issue] always comes down to congregation on the street and I think as long as we're managing that relatively well, I think neighbours would generally be pretty pleased.”
The organization, which already operates seven overdose prevention sites in the capital city, is confident in its ability to manage the upcoming facility successfully. Willson and Phillips added that additional staff would be hired to ensure that service users and community members remain safe from any potential issues throughout the day.
“We know we can do it because we're already doing it at Cook and North Park so I feel pretty comfortable telling the neighbours that we can do it here because we're going to use the same model, but even with a better staffing model than we currently have,” said Willson.
Despite an apparent divide in the room between a few vocal opponents and supporters of the facility, many residents demonstrated a nuanced understanding of the issue. While they welcomed SOLID’s involvement in the community and appreciated their work, they criticized the lack of communication and public engagement throughout the process.
Most of these concerns were aimed at Mayor Alto.
“We don't have any real issues with the services that SOLID is providing, but I do have lots of questions about this facility and the impact that they have on the neighbourhood,” said one man. “I'm curious why the mayor felt it appropriate to make the zoning regulation changes… I don't feel like the city has a mandate to make these changes without public consultation.”
Earlier this year, the city provided SOLID with up to $1.8 million in operating funds and a $300,000 grant to help the organization acquire the Dowler Place property.
In the spirit of openness and transparency, Willson invites concerned residents to attend the monthly North Park Neighbourhood Association meetings, where they can voice their concerns, ask questions and obtain feedback.
As the meeting concluded, Willson told Black Press Media that the essence of the facility boils down to providing a safe haven for those living on the streets, offering them a moment of respite and access to essential services.
“People are gonna stay on Pandora if they're really in the hustle. If someone's coming to North Park, it tends to be people [who] want to actually chill out for a few days, have a meal and sleep. It's a chance to get away from the hustle.
“The biggest piece is having a safe spot where you can go and feel welcome.”
On her way back home, Berenice Kamano of the Kwakwakaʼwakw people, who worked for the last two decades with the homeless population, strongly supports the project.
The woman, who has battled substance use herself, spoke that same night and shared her perspective on the issue, which she believes is rooted in systemic problems that the entire community and the province need to address.
“There are very few services available for the people that I work with,” said Kamano. “What we need to do is work as a community. We need to work with Island Health. We need to work with mental health. We need to work with the community… and talk about how to make this difference.
“SOLID is working towards helping people to get healthy again.”
- With files from Bailey Seymour
