The president of Christ Church Cathedral School’s parents council sounds worried about the close proximity — “18 paces” — between the school and a proposed development to house 101 homeless people across Rockland Avenue.
Feedback from parents to the Victoria Cool Aid Society’s proposal has been varied, said Emory Haines.
“A few are in support. Many have questions and concerns about the Mount Edwards development,” he said.
“The information was released to the parents just before the Christmas holidays and at the end of a school term,” he added. “It was presented to the parents as a done deal, and that has impacted the response.”
The society has raised $1.5 million toward repurposing the vacant Mount Edwards Court Care Home into its largest single project to house homeless people.
Doing so is contingent on raising $2 million more by the end of March to close on an offer of $3.5 million to the Baptist Housing Society. Then, further Capital Regional District and provincial funding would be needed. (See story below.)
Many parents at the kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school feel they lack information and are doing their own research to reach “an educated opinion” on the issue, Haines said.
He expressed discontent that the school’s board of governors made a decision to support the idea without input from parents, assuming that parents would get on side.
“This or may not be the case,” Haines said.
Cool Aid executive director Kathy Stinson said she does not believe the parents have anything to fear from those who would living in the supportive housing units across the road.
“Many of them are in the neighbourhood already — unhoused,” she said.
Haines said he did not feel reassured by his meeting Tuesday with Stinson and some other parents.
He left understanding the needs of homeless people but not convinced such a large facility is “a good fit” a stone’s throw from the last remaining elementary school in Victoria’s downtown.
“It’s twice as large as anything they’re currently running,” he said.
Cool Aid houses 112 formerly homeless people in three buildings in the 700 block of Pandora, the largest of them with 53 residents, and parents are welcome to have a look at how well they fit in, Stinson said
The best stabilizer for homeless people is a home of their own, she said.
“Certainly, not everyone will have a serious mental-health issue or addiction,” she said. She also pointed out that the former nursing home has a large interior courtyard where residents can socialize, as well as a side yard on Vancouver Street.
The historic Mount Edwards building dates to 1911 and is at 1002 Vancouver St., while Christ Church Cathedral School is across Rockland Avenue at 912 Vancouver St.
Two staff members would be at the Cool Aid facility 24-7 to monitor people going in and out. Other health and community workers would also be on site. If a resident were in major distress, staff would likely call 911, not let them leave the building, Stinson said.
That raised another issue for some parents: How often would police cars be responding to the site and what effect would that have on the learning environment, Haines said. People want to ensure the children have a safe and supportive environment to learn and play in when they’re outside for physical education, field trips, and walks to parks and attractions.
Stinson said she will gather police-call statistics for the 700 block of Pandora, where Cool Aid runs three housing projects, and let parents know the results.
Haines said he is apprehensive that parents considering the Christ Church school for very young children might enrol them elsewhere.
“Will parents choose to send their child to Christ Church Cathedral School knowing Cool Aid is right next door? I don’t know,” he said. “They do not have to expose their young children directly to this. They have a choice.”
School principal Stuart Hall noted that overall retention of students at Christ Church is high — about 95 per cent. “It would also be reasonable to say that 75 to 80 per cent of our students in our current Grade 8 class started with us in their early primary years.”
Hall wrote to parents Dec. 9 stating that the Cool Aid development is “entirely appropriate” given Christ Church’s long commitment to helping people who are homeless.
“We have great parents at Cathedral School and I am confident they will bring any questions or concerns to the table so that we can fully understand their viewpoints and take appropriate action as needed,” he said this week.
As for new families choosing Christ Church, Hall said he believes it will depend on how the school manages the relationship with its new neighbours.
“I have every reason to believe that Cool Aid will do their best to ensure the relationship is a respectful and responsive relationship.”
