It has been so encouraging to see many of the Oceanside churches and service clubs step up to help the needy, unfortunate and homeless of this community.
When the Manna Homeless Society started in 2011, the City of Parksville took a leading role in developing the task force to combat this problem which at that time seemed to be non-existent.
Today, it has become very apparent that there are homeless people in this affluent district. Manna sees more than 80 people visit the Manna van every Saturday to receive food and supplies to get them through the week. The number of panhandlers on the street is increasing.
It is hard to ignore the suffering of these people. We cannot turn a blind eye to it and the situation is only going to get worse.
In a March 8 story by John Harding (The NEWS), the City of Parksville said it is apparently gearing up for the possible inundation of tent cities that may rise up on sensitive areas. In all honesty, the sensitive areas have already been used by motorhomes on the estuary and large condos and hotels along the ocean. Possibly tents are more offensive to the city.
Solving the problem of homelessness needs to have innovative thinkers who can go outside the box. Can the vacant schools be used to house the homeless? Can the City of Parksville donate a piece of land to erect low-cost housing? Let’s have a look at Medicine Hat, Alta., where 885 homeless people, including 250 children, were housed. They used the Housing First approach and worked on addictions and mental health problems second. Homelessness is virtually non-existent there.
I urge the City of Parksville to reconsider their approach. Let’s be leaders in solving this problem. Let’s stop talking, paying wages or making laws to exacerbate the problem. The city, churches, service clubs and individuals have the ability to make a difference in a person’s life. Let’s do it.
Robin Campbell, Founder of Manna Homeless SocietyErrington
