Proposed East Vancouver detox and social housing complex draws mixed reviews

A proposal to build a 10-storey combined detox centre and housing complex in an East Vancouver neighbourhood has drawn mixed reactions from residents in the area.

Some people in the Grandview-Woodlandneighbourhood say the facility will be too big and therefore too risky for the family-oriented community.

For the last few years, the Province, B.C. Housing, City of Vancouver, and Vancouver Coastal Health have been working together to put forward a proposal for a new social housing complex, detox centreand addiction treatment facility.

Vancouver Coastal Health said there's a need for more addictiontreatment services and housing in Vancouver. This new space will answer those needs under one roof.

It would replace the current detox facilities on East 2nd Avenue and Harbour Lights Detox on East Cordova.

The rezoning for the proposed facility has not yetbeen approved. If itis,it will be located on East First Avenue spanning the entire block between Clark Drive and McLean Drive.

It would contain 90social housing units andup to 20 short-term transitional beds for people who have completed detoxso they can continue receiving access to supports and health services. There will also be nearly51 in-patient withdrawal management treatment beds.

Bonnie Wilson, Coastal Health'sdirector of services in the innercity, saidit makes sense to mergeservices and facilities under one roof because itgives clients one place to turn.

Community Response

Community memberswill be able to attend apublic hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Feb.20 at City Hall. The projecthas gone through several revisions andis subject to a rezoning approval by Vancouver city council and a development permit approval process.

Not everyone in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood is keen to have a large treatment and housing project in their area.

Thomas Ferguson, who lives in the area, said thebuilding will be be too large to manage, and isinappropriate and even dangerous for a residential neighbourhood.

"Why should this area service the entire city? Why should inebriated people be picked up from across the city and brought here, to a residential neighbourhood," Ferguson asked.

If approved, Wilson said the facility could be created within the next three to five years.