By Dylana Milobar

ASK Wellness looking forward to delayed opening of Tranquille Road supportive housing

Feb 28, 2019 | 4:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — While still waiting for permanent transitional housing, the first few months of what will be a three-year, temporary housing operation at Mission Flats Manor in Kamloops have so far been relatively smooth. 

Bob Hughes, Executive Director of ASK Wellness Kamloops, admits some logistics issues around getting to and from the site, along with transforming the former workcamp into a livable facility have proven challenging.

Hughes says it really was a bit of an experiment, and the whole project speaks to the desperation the city is facing with a lack of affordable housing.

“People just really, really sick with mental health issues, additictions, and just years of neglect,” he says. “And we paid the piper for that by getting to a place where we’re so desperate that we’re bringing in workforce camps to put people.”

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However, he says some good has already come from the project.

“Some folks have made (the best out of) every opportunity they could. They’ve seized the day, and are now working on resumes, paying off ICBC bills, looking at jobs,” he explains. “It’s a testament to what people can do when they’re given a roof over their head and some good support.”

Meanwhile, construction of the permanent fixture for supportive housing at 317 Tranquille Road is nearing completion, months behing the original expecting finish date of Nov. 1, 2018.

“These projects take a great deal of time to develop. The design is brand new, it was city property. So I think I would have loved to have seen it done by November 1. But the province was, I think, astute enough, wise enough, to work with the city around the Mission Flats project.”

According to Hughes, that Mission Flats development, along with the Branch shelter, have brought relief during delays to both the Canadian Mental Health Association’s project along Victoria Street, which has not started construction yet, and the supportive apartments ASK Wellness will be running. 

“I applaud the effort, because a year ago we were scrambling with people basically still living on the river banks, and it was a cold winter,” he explains. “So I’m hoping that with these kind of housing investments made by the province and the federal government, and a willingness like the City of Kamloops has shown to see affordable housing built that we’re at a turning point when it comes to the homelessness crisis.”

“Now the big challenge is around addressing the mental health and addictions issues that so many people that are homeless have been facing.”

Hughes says he’s excited to see the first true affordable housing project on the North Shore get up and running by spring. 

“This is just so life transforming for people that will walk in there. We’ll have 58 units that will be filled by April 1, and that’s one more project that will be done in addition to the community’s housing inventory.”