Friendship Lodge Plans Unveiled

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 05:28 PM

At left, the backpacker motel the way it sits today, at right, the design of the new Friendship Lodge.

About 70- people were on hand for the first of two public sessions to detail the plans for the Backpacker Motel.

The first thing the Native Friendship Centre wanted to make clear is that this 30 unit three storey building will be like any other apartment building. People will be expected to pay (at least a portion) of rent for their one bedroom suite. “It is a home, not a shelter” said Barb Ward-Burkitt, Executive Director of the Native Friendship Centre.

In a pamphlet distributed to those who attended the session, the Native Friendship Centre says the vision for the “Friendship Lodge” is:

“Supported housing which will address the needs of adults who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.”

The Lodge will offer the following services:

Life skill development
Employment readiness development
Case management and therapeutic group work
Links to the continuum of health, mental health and addi tion services
Group activities
Referrals to other community services when required
On going property risk management
On-site 24 hour caretaker and
Residential support workers

“Friendship Lodge will assist individuals with mental illnesses and/or physical disabilities and those with drug and alcohol addictions with the help they require to transition to self reliance and independence.”

The professional mental health services will be provided in collaboration with Northern Health.

Northern Health is committed to providing half a million dollars a year towards support staff for the facility.

The application to rezone the property has been filed with Prince George City Hall, but it has yet to be scheduled to come before Council.

The existing motel on the property will first have to be demolished there is still the matter of the rezoning application and subsequent public hearing and the approval of the development permit.

If all of the steps in the process were without problems or delays, it is possible construction could start in the early fall, and while there is no set target to begin services there are some who are crossing their fingers that the facility could be ready this time next year.

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Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 05:28 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: thereasonableman on June 13 2007 6:22 PM

The plan looks a lot better than the present building does.

Good luck, I really hope this project goes good. It certainly has all the intentions of going the right way with it.

Posted by: bitter on June 13 2007 10:45 PM

I have just read the coverage of the afternoon session on the Freindship Lodge. We attened the evening session and it was well attended by the residents of the community. I am really confused as the information we were given is completely different. We were informed that this would be strictly for the Homeless and people with Mental problems and there would be no people with drug problems. It was also stated that it would not be a Treatment Facility but simply a home the same as any other Apartment. The Representative from BC Housing said that when they spoke to the City people they were told it should be a housing project for the Homeless. Is there going to be two projects because the descriptions don't match. Put this in an area where children don't have to pass it on their way to School.

Posted by: Buzz on June 14 2007 10:38 AM

Bitter: INCORRECT. The information you were given, repeatedly, in the evening session was exactly the same as the afternoon session. It is NOT a treatement facility, it is a home. The main difference between this building and another apartment building is that the target residents will be people at risk of being homeless (e.g. addictions, Mental health issues, poverty, etc.), and therefore there will be staff and services available to help out if the residents need help. If this were a seniors complex, they'd probably have additional staff offering services (e.g. transportation, social activities, nursing care, etc.). But a seniors complex is still a HOME, just with extra services. Thank goodness this new building (and it is new...the old building would be torn down) is hopefully going to be built, as we sorely need new homes for those who are at risk of living in our back alleys.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on June 14 2007 11:41 AM

I completely under stand how "bitter" and other residents of the neighbourhood feel.
They have every right to be upset and hopefully, they will all remember how much support they got at election time.
Nothing changes the fact that this is a very bad location for a facility of this nature when you stop and consider the issues involved.
And it doesn't matter what they are being told it will be,it is about what it will become and that I think,is unavoidable.
The idea is great,and I fully support that part of it.
It's a much needed venue, but it is NOT needed in a area so close to the downtown area.
Talk about enabling!
Or in a residential area so close to the downtown core where there are already problems!!

Posted by: Buzz on June 14 2007 1:09 PM

So where would you put it? I too understand the anger and worry of residents. But where should it go? These future residents also need access to busses, shops, social services, etc., so putting this housing in the middle of the wilderness is hardly a helpful solution.(which is where most people would probably secretly like these people to live...in fact one woman at the meeting last night even suggested shipping them all out to the Log House Restaruant) It's a tough situation, as nobody wants this in their neighbourhood, so what's the answer? On a good note, if you look at other properties/housing that the NFC is in control of, they are clean, attractive, and very well managed without major complaints from neighbours. There is every reason to expect this new housing will be just as well managed.

Posted by: duffer on June 14 2007 1:47 PM

Put it up by the University. That way, after the University closes due to lack of students, there will be more dorms to use.

Posted by: Buzz on June 14 2007 1:52 PM

UNBC: Nice and spacious too...not a bad idea!!! Everyone in town will want to become homeless so they can move in there too!! :)

Posted by: Andyfreeze on June 14 2007 2:01 PM

Where I would put it is not the point.
What IS the point is that locating a facility of this nature so close to the downtown core is about as smart as holding AA meetings in a bar!!!
Much too close to the temptations that are a major part of the problems in the first place.
It is all about enviroment and if that doesn't change,then nothing else will either.
And I bet you already know that.
As far as loction,anywhere that does not infringe on a residential neigbourhood would have been better.
Away from the downtown area.
There is no reason for people who have drug and alcohol or mental issues to remain downtown, other than to have easy access to their bad habits.
Sorry buzz,but I don't buy it and I am not alone.

Posted by: owl on June 14 2007 3:24 PM

"What IS the point is that locating a facility of this nature so close to the downtown core is about as smart as holding AA meetings in a bar!!!"

Or putting golf pro shops into golf clubhouses, or coffee shops into bookstores, or marinas on waterfronts ....

Unless one is looking for retreats for rehabs when one might want to consider idyllic locations such as a horse farm in Salmon Valley, the location needs to be close to facilities that people who may not have automobile transportation need and can get to. These are primarily residences. The services which can be made available on site are secondary.

So, let�s try something. Given that it needs to be �downtown� for many reasons, and given that the east part of �downtown� may make matters worse rather than better, let us look for a location to the west of Victoria, in the Winnipeg-Vancouver corridor, or perhaps in the Gateway area, between 15th and 18th. Or maybe we can start to make inroads into a dying downtown light industrial area by finding some property just to the east of Queensway between 1st and 7th.

What would people�s reaction be to such locations?

Remember, the words said when this location was first proposed and people were starting to protest, were that it could go elsewhere. So, give some realistic locations.

Posted by: Buzz on June 14 2007 3:29 PM

Good points Andyfreeze, I agree with you in part. Not so sure about the "temptations" part of your argument, as I believe there are people with mental health, drug & other problems all over our city, and it's not just with people who we see downtown. Temptation is wherever you want to find it. My question for you is, "where exactly would you put this housing?" Specifically? And good luck in coming up with an answer, because NOBODY (or at least very few) will agree with you who live in the area that you suggest. That's the problem, and why the service providers will do as good as they can in finding a location (such as the proposed site), and carry on with their plans because they know that there is NO place to put this housing that everyone will agree with. They can't win this one, so they either plow ahead, or write off these needy people and let them live on the streets, which will also make everyone just as mad.

Posted by: Buzz on June 14 2007 4:38 PM

Posted by: bitter on June 14 2007 8:11 PM

I got news for you Buzz. We are going to win this one and we are mad as Hell. We are sick of this City trying to dump all of its proplems in the VLA Miller and Connaught areas.I repeat, we are sick of it and using the Homeless as pons is also sick. The NFS should be helping us fight this instead of being used by the Government to unload its needy people from Vancouver to clean up for the the OLympics or is part of the plan to clean up the Downtown?? We already have McQuid Place. We have all we can handle. You don't mention children, don't you care about their safety ?? One of the points brought up last night was could they put Pedophiles in the new center. Barb said they would be screened and another speaker said every one could have Pedophiles in their Neighborhoods. Well guess what, after that meeting we are informed that a week ago a pedoehile moved to Prince George but we are not being informed where he is. He likes young Boys
Scared you Bet. FIND ANOTHER SPOT.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on June 14 2007 8:46 PM

I agree "buzz" that they probably can't win this one to any great degree.
But that still doesn't mean that this area is the right place to put it.
The proximity to downtown is just plain wrong, and anyone who understands what motivates some of the kinds of people who will live there understands that as well.
And it will come back to haunt the people who are trying to manage this building.
Good luck with that.
Why not at least put it down in the lower end of 2nd,3rd,or 4th?
Or any of the light industrial areas?
Granted,that doesn't solve all the residential area issue's as they are still not that far away,but at least it is not surrounded by peoples homes and families.
Anywhere that is within a short walk to the downtown core is too close to the evil that is destroying these people.
What is wrong with a more rural area?
Besides the logistics of getting back and forth to downtown where they shouldn't be anyway?
Many of these people are suffering from all manner of mental health issues.That is the one thing that is often overlooked when it comes to addictions.
Seriously co-dependant people with addictions for example,will gravitate to other co-dependant people with the same afflictions.
That's how they validate themselves.
They will push away those who they do not see as being like them.
Guess where they will find a whole lot of them?
That's right...in the downtown core.
I appreciate what is trying to be done here and I respect that,but I do think this location is a bandaid at best.
In any event,I wish them all good luck and I don't mean that in a negative way!
This is going to get done no matter what I or anyone else thinks unfortunately.
So be it.
It may not be right,but it IS going to get done I am sure.

Posted by: Buzz on June 15 2007 4:03 PM

Bitter: I didn't mention children, or white people, or natives, or handicapped people either. Please don't say things like "don't you care about children?" It doesn't help your credibility to make assumptions like that. I wouldn't dream of passing judgement on you without having a clue who you are or what you stand for.
I wish you the very best of luck in your right to live in a safe, attractive and friendly neighbourhood. I wish the service providers luck in dealing with a difficult situation. And I wish luck also to the vulnerable and needy people that "there but by the grace of God go I".