427 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

...there's an empty Baptist Housing building on my block that would make a great supportive housing facility...

Does anyone know if Cool-Aid has looked into this property?

[Alan Rycroft]

I have not once said I do not want more of these services dumped on my lap. That is factually incorrect for you to state. I also have not presented the 800-block as being rosy. I actually described it as being crowded with people on steps, in line for cheques, and waiting outside Our Place. Doesn't sound so rosy to me. I even said how ugly it looks. So please try to read what I'm actually saying instead of reading between the lines. You'd be much better served in this conversation if you did so.

 

In fact, there's an empty Baptist Housing building on my block that would make a great supportive housing facility. I am being and have been perfectly up front in my two posts. I like where I live. Would I be opposed to more supportive housing in my neighborhood? No. Do I believe that spreading these services through the downtown core is beneficial? Yes. How my suggestion that spreading out services equals me being against these services in my area is beyond me.

If you are referring to Central Care Home on Johnson Street as the empty Baptist Housing Building, it will interest you to know that Cool Aid tried for years to purchase this building for supportive housing but Baptist Housing would not sell. Hence Mount Edwards Court.  -- Alan Rycroft

[Nparker]

If you are referring to Central Care Home on Johnson Street as the empty Baptist Housing Building, it will interest you to know that Cool Aid tried for years to purchase this building for supportive housing but Baptist Housing would not sell. Hence Mount Edwards Court.  -- Alan Rycroft

Was that while the Central Care Home was still in use? Has the Baptist Housing society been approached since the property has been empty? Could the facility be leased by Cool-Aid if not outright purchased?

[Alan Rycroft]

Was that while the Central Care Home was still in use? Has the Baptist Housing society been approached since the property has been empty? Could the facility be leased by Cool-Aid if not outright purchased?

We talked with Baptist Housing, and many others, for years before it closed... and tried to purchase it while/after it closed too. However, Baptist Housing intends to redevelop it and were therefore unwilling to sell it to Cool Aid. No -- it's not available for lease either, not that a lease would work for long-term, permanent supportive housing.

[RFS]

However, Baptist Housing intends to redevelop it and were therefore unwilling to sell it to Cool Aid.

Baptist housing stock just went up in my books

[Mike K.]

I believe even Dave Chard tried to acquire that property.

Alan, any details as to what they're planning to build there?

[VicHockeyFan]

For freaks sake. The highest bidder will always take it. It's not like the Baptists said Cool Aid or Chard were excluded from buying.

[Mike K.]

If they're not selling then there is no highest bidder.

[shoeflack]

There are film crews on site at the Central Care Home pretty regularly, and the area police dogs were even there the other day doing what appeared to be some indoor/urban training. Baptist must be making a couple bucks on the site here and there, enough to allow them to hold out for now on selling anyways.

[VicPushedOver]

There are rumors flying around, from very reliable sources, that the BC Provincial government has bought the Mount Edwards Court building. If so, it means NO rezoning process, as the Province is exempt from municipal zoning laws. Good-by democracy. Hello Marxism. And all with zero public consultation. If true, everyone should pause in somber reflection. If it happens here it could happen next to your local school.

[nagel]

So they would lease it to cool aid?

[Mike K.]

There are rumors flying around, from very reliable sources, that the BC Provincial government has bought the Mount Edwards Court building. If so, it means NO rezoning process, as the Province is exempt from municipal zoning laws. Good-by democracy. Hello Marxism. And all with zero public consultation. If true, everyone should pause in somber reflection. If it happens here it could happen next to your local school.

 

Can you speak to the nature of the sources, VPO? Are they affiliated with local housing orgs, a government, or the community association?

[Baro]

There are rumors flying around, from very reliable sources, that the BC Provincial government has bought the Mount Edwards Court building. If so, it means NO rezoning process, as the Province is exempt from municipal zoning laws. Good-by democracy. Hello Marxism. And all with zero public consultation. If true, everyone should pause in somber reflection. If it happens here it could happen next to your local school.

 

Marx did write heavily about zoning and homeless shelters, it's true.  Putting "hard to house" homeless shelters next to elementary schools while ignoring local opposition is actually a key aspect of the labour theory of value.

When I first read the news/rumour I was hoping it meant the province had bought it thus preventing cool-aid from buying it.  We're thinking the province has bought it on behalf of cool-aid??  Maybe the province has other plans?  Restore it to a nursing home?

 

Well the great thing about renting is that I can leave any time the neighbourhood goes to ****.  Almost feel bad for all the new condos in the area built on pre-sales.  Bet those are some pretty unhappy "investors".

[VicPushedOver]

Can you speak to the nature of the sources, VPO? Are they affiliated with local housing orgs, a government, or the community association?

I don't want to get anyone in trouble, its from the transaction  side, verified by the legislative side, reinforced by a recent update on Cool Aid's site, and a news story from Chris Coleman in today's news concerning  the campers.

This is 99.99% happening.

Edited by VicPushedOver, 31 January 2016 - 09:45 PM.

[VicPushedOver]

Marx did write heavily about zoning and homeless shelters, it's true.  Putting "hard to house" homeless shelters next to elementary schools while ignoring local opposition is actually a key aspect of the labour theory of value.

When I first read the news/rumour I was hoping it meant the province had bought it thus preventing cool-aid from buying it.  We're thinking the province has bought it on behalf of cool-aid??  Maybe the province has other plans?  Restore it to a nursing home?

 

Well the great thing about renting is that I can leave any time the neighbourhood goes to ****.  Almost feel bad for all the new condos in the area built on pre-sales.  Bet those are some pretty unhappy "investors".

If you do not get the Marx references,  then you really do not understand Lisa Helps, or Marx, or both.

[Mike K.]

I don't want to get anyone in trouble, its from the transaction  side, verified by the legislative side, reinforced by a recent update on Cool Aid's site, and a news story from Chris Coleman in today's news concerning  the campers.

This is 99.99% happening.

 

Thank you.

[attica]

There are rumors flying around, from very reliable sources, that the BC Provincial government has bought the Mount Edwards Court building. If so, it means NO rezoning process, as the Province is exempt from municipal zoning laws. Good-by democracy. Hello Marxism. And all with zero public consultation. If true, everyone should pause in somber reflection. If it happens here it could happen next to your local school.

 

It already didn't need a rezoning process.... why are people struggling with that so much. Its just a simple BP for internal renovations. The zoning definitions do not discriminate between residential hospital/nursing uses just because someone may be homeless and suffer from addiction vs elderly and suffer from dimentia. Cool-Aid would of 100% confirmed this with the city before ever putting the site under contract

Edited by attica, 01 February 2016 - 10:29 AM.

[nagel]

^ And if that's the case, the only thing the city would be consulting on would be whether to provide funding or not.

[edvictoria]

This is a direct quote from an e-mail correspondence with Mayor Lisa Helps concerning the Mount Edwards property:

 

"No one seems to have pointed out the fact that if a non-profit operator buys the building and wants to turn it into housing, there is a rezoning process to go through, which is a very public process with lots of opportunity for public input based on an actual plan. If someone like the province or the federal government were to buy it, they are not subject to municipal zoning and could use it for short term purposes as is. Even in that instance, in the long term for more permanent use, it would also go through a rezoning process."

 

There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the rezoning process on this property. 

[Mike K.]

There we have it.

 

Thanks, EdVictoria.