Victoria Residents Express Outrage Over New Homeless Hub: Concerns Over Safety and Lack of Consultation

It didn’t take long for the anger and frustration over 5,200 square feet of real estate at the corner of Princess Avenue and Dowler Place to boil over at a community meeting Monday night. The meeting, which kicked off at 7 p.m. at Ambrosia Banquet and Events on Fisgard Street drew hundreds of people — well in excess of the room’s 200-person capacity — with several speakers unloading weeks of frustration on the panel. The meeting, which wrapped at 8:45 p.m. with several people yet to be able to speak or ask questions, was held to discuss a controversial facility in Victoria’s North Park neighbourhood designed to help the homeless find housing and treatment services.

It quickly turned into a steady stream of area residents peppering Mayor Marianne Alto and representatives of SOLID Outreach, which will operate the facility, with complaints and concerns about the facility at 2155 Dowler Pl. and the process by which it was created. Many residents voiced their concerns for their own safety and that of their children, worried about open drug use, increased crime and what is going to happen to the neighbourhood when the facility is up and running. “When I look at other places in town, North Park, Ellice [Street] or the 900-block of Pandora, they are disaster zones. We are on a road that is going to get worse and worse,” said one woman, who suggested the same old models of addressing the issues are just not working.

Another long-term North Park resident pointed out everyone who turned up at Tuesday’s meeting was asked to be civil, but unfortunately North Park residents are not afforded the same courtesy by those on the street who scream obscenities and create an atmosphere where people don’t feel safe. A number of residents expressed anger and frustration at how the facility, which is under construction, came to be without any consultation or warning for North Park residents. Most of those complaints were directed at Alto.

The city stepped in this year to make the facility a reality, providing $300,000 to help SOLID Outreach Society buy the property. It was purchased in June for $1.65 million. The city is also contributing up to $1.8 million in operating funding for one year to SOLID, which will own and run the facility. Alto said the city felt it had to do something because senior levels of government have left too many gaps and are not responding to the housing, drug and homeless crises with enough urgency.

The city is working on a community safety and wellness program to address issues on the street. A consultant will measure the effect of the Dowler Place facility. She said if the measuring shows the facility isn’t working the city will try something else. Several speakers expressed support for the work SOLID does and asked the community to have some patience and be part of the solution. A number of speakers said there is no easy fix to the issues the street community and drug addicts face and that it takes everyone working together to make a difference.

SOLID’s Mission: A Welcoming Space for Those in Need

SOLID, which already provides overdose prevention services at seven sites in Victoria, outreach to homeless encampments, and other related services, has said the Dowler facility is meant to be a welcoming space for people experiencing acute addiction or mental health issues who are underserved by existing services. It favours working with individuals on their specific needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach which can leave some people out in the cold. SOLID has said it will help connect people to B.C. Housing options and market-rental subsidies, as well as drug-treatment programs, and will accompany people to health appointments.

A Controversial Solution: The Dowler Place Facility

A community meeting to discuss the planned access hub for unhoused people on Dowler Place in Victoria’s North Park neighbourhood is happening Tuesday evening. The meeting was originally set for Sept. 11 at the Victoria Curling Club but was rescheduled for 7 p.m. today at the Ambrosia banquet hall at 638 Fisgard St.

Victoria’s Mayor Marianne Alto and Josh Montgomery, the firefighter who was suspended for a day without pay for sending an open letter to B.C.’s premier voicing concerns about local safety, are expected to speak. This follows a previous community meeting and protest outside city hall, where people gathered to express their worries over the Dowler Place hub. Located at 2155 Dowler Pl., just north of the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, it will be run by SOLID Outreach Society, and it was first announced in June.

In the announcement, the City of Victoria said the hub would provide wrap-around community-based services, serving up to 50 people at a time. City officials said the goal was to reduce the risk and impact of homelessness in the community. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Speaking with CHEK News, Alto said the hub would “absolutely not” be a consumption site, adding in a previous interview, “Clearly, there are people who use drugs who will use the other services that are offered there. It is not an OPS. It is not an overdose prevention site.” In his letter, which was posted on CHEK News’ website, Montgomery noted that the facility would be close to where his young daughters play outside their home, and he also said the project was announced without public consultation.

Community Divided: Lack of Transparency and Concerns for Safety

Members of the community have been vocal in opposing the project planned for 2155 Dowler Pl., just north of Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, saying they have been given little detail about how the facility will operate and what effect it might have on the neighbourhood. Neighbours have raised concerns about open drug use, and the potential for increased crime in the area, and expressed frustration that they were not consulted before the City of Victoria helped to make the project a reality.

The city has taken the brunt of the neighbourhood’s anger, as it provided $300,000 to help SOLID Outreach Society buy the property. The city is also contributing up to $1.8 million in operating funding for one year to SOLID, which will own and run the facility. SOLID, which provides overdose-prevention services at seven sites in Victoria, outreach to homeless encampments and other related services, has said the Dowler facility will aim to work with the specific needs of individuals experiencing acute addiction or mental-health issues.

Looking Ahead: Finding Solutions and Building Trust

The debate surrounding the Dowler Place facility highlights the complex challenges of addressing homelessness and addiction in urban centers. While the need for services and support for those experiencing homelessness is undeniable, the concerns of residents regarding safety and transparency must be addressed. The upcoming community meeting will serve as a platform for continued dialogue and hopefully, a path towards finding solutions that address the needs of both the homeless community and the residents of North Park. The success of the facility, and the restoration of trust between the city and the community, will depend on open communication, collaboration, and a commitment to finding solutions that work for everyone.