Mark Anderson – Candidate For Duncan Council – My Comments On Protecting Low Density Residential Neighbourhoods

Mark Anderson – Candidate For City of Duncan Council.

Here are some of my comments on protecting and maintaining Duncan’s low density residential neighbourhoods.

Some members of the current City of Duncan Council have referred to Duncan’s low density residential neighbourhoods as “a dead model.” I believe Duncan’s low density residential neighbourhoods should be maintained in their present form.

Here is a video with some of my comments on that subject:

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Some Comments On Building Housing In Downtown Duncan

Mark Anderson, candidate for Duncan Council (photo: Lexi Bainas, Cowichan Valley Citizen)

Here is a video with some of my comments about building housing in downtown Duncan.

I believe the City of Duncan made a mistake in granting an Option To Purchase a city owner lot on Kenneth Street to a local non-profit organization which proposes to build a three storey “public art gallery” bordering Kenneth Street, Ingram Street and City Hall Square.

Note that this non-profit organization wants taxpayers to fund its purchase of this city owner lot. The option runs for three years and would allow the non-profit organization to purchase this lot at the APPRAISED VALUE, not the MARKET VALUE, at the time of purchase.

Here are links to some local media coverage of this issue:

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BC Housing Has Purchased 610 Trunk Road And A Temporary Cabin Site Is Proposed For The Property

BC Housing has purchased the .975 acre lot at 610 Trunk Road and a temporary cabin site is proposed for this location. Here is a link to a Cowichan Valley Citizen report published on 23 November 2021.

According to the Cowichan Valley Citizen, “Another 40 sleeping cabins for the homeless are proposed to be placed at a temporary site at 610 Trunk St. (sic) in the new year.

The Cowichan Housing Association, on behalf of the Cowichan COVID-19 Task Force for Vulnerable Population, has applied to the City of Duncan for a temporary-use permit for the site, which is owned by BC Housing, to provide a 24-hour housing and support service for up to 40 people in the small cabins from Jan. 15, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2022.

The proposed project, which would be called “It Takes a Village: Housing the Unsheltered Population of the Cowichan Valley”, would be operated by Lookout Housing and Health Society, which also runs the newly opened Health and Wellness Centre on York Road…..

Funding for the new temporary housing project comes from a $2.5-million grant from the Safe Restart: Strengthening Communities’ Services funding program, a joint federal/provincial initiative.

Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples said the city is thankful that North Cowichan submitted the proposal for funding on behalf of the region and that the application was successful.

She said the next step is securing a suitable location for the village….”

Here are some photos of the site at 610 Trunk Road:

The lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
The lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
The lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
The lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
Realtor's sale sign for the lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
Realtor’s sale sign for the lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
Activity on the lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
Activity on the lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

We note that the lot at 610 Trunk Road is in a residential district and is directly across the street from Sunridge Place, a seniors facility at 361 Bundock Avenue, and several apartment buildings which cater to seniors. It is also directly next door to 554 Trunk Road, which is the offices of the Cowichan Valley Youth Services Society.

554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Youth Services Association, is adjacent to the lot at 610 Trunk Road, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Valley Youth Services Society, is adjacent to the lot at 610 Trunk Road, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
The lot at 610 Trunk Road (left) and 554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Youth Services Association (right), 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)
The lot at 610 Trunk Road (left) and 554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Valley Youth Services Society (right), 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

Here is a map showing the location of 610 Trunk Road:

 

 

Here is a Google Street View image of 610 Trunk Road:

We will post more in future as this situation unfolds.

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A YouTube Video Posted By Michelle Staples In 2017

City of Duncan Councillor Michelle Staples (photo: City of Duncan)
City of Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples (photo: City of Duncan)

We came across this video posted to YouTube in 2017 by Michelle Staples, who was elected Mayor of Duncan on 20 October 2018.

This video was apparently made by Social Planning Cowichan, of which Michelle Staples was then Executive Director, and the Cowichan Housing Association, an offshoot of Social Planning Cowichan which is to be given $765,000/year, or more, of taxpayer funds as a result of the Yes Vote in the recent Referendum on CVRD Bylaw 4201.

Just for your information, here are some other videos which appear on Michelle Staples’ YouTube channel:

 

 

 
This is a short election video with music taken from the chorus of a 1990s hit called Tubthumping by a British band called Chumbawamba. If I recall correctly the rest of the song is about drowning one’s problems through binge drinking.

 
Here’s a video of the full Chumbawamba song:
 

 

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Councillor Tom Duncan Has Made A Notice Of Motion On Housing To Be Debated At The Next Duncan Council Meeting

City of Duncan Councillor Tom Duncan (photo: City of Duncan)
City of Duncan Councillor Tom Duncan (photo: City of Duncan)

At the Duncan Council Committee of the Whole meeting on 1 October 2018, Councillor Tom Duncan made a Notice of Motion on Housing policy which will be discussed at the next Duncan City Council meeting on 15 October 2018.

The Notice of Motion should be of interest to anyone concerned with housing policy.

Councillor Tom Duncan’s Notice of Motion reads as follows:

“New Business

Councillor Duncan provided a notice of motion for consideration at the next Council meeting:

That Council direct staff to contact B.C. Housing and request a feasibility study for a housing project on the City lot on St. Julien Street in Duncan;

And That staff research any Federal Government Housing funding that is available;

And That Council invite the Municipality of North Cowichan and the Cowichan Valley Regional District to join Duncan Council when the City Staff and B.C. Housing Staff present their feasibility study;

And That North Cowichan and the Cowichan Valley Regional District join Duncan and provide land for a B.C. Housing Project.”

Here is a Google Street View image of the “City lot on St. Julien Street in Duncan” referred to in the Motion:

Here is a Google Maps image showing the location of this “City lot on St. Julien Street in Duncan”


Anyone interested in housing issues and housing policy in Duncan and the Cowichan Valley should follow the debate on this Motion.

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Motion Proposing Shipping Containers As Emergency Shelters Rejected At Duncan Committee Of The Whole – 1 October 2018

At the City of Duncan Committee of the Whole meeting on 1 October 2018, a Motion was put on the Agenda by Councillor Roger Bruce which advocated spending up to $10,000 to purchase or rent a second hand shipping container which had been converted into temporary emergency shelter for the City of Campbell River and transport this unit to Duncan. The conversion of this shipping container was done by a Langley based company called Shadow Lines. This converted shipping container is owned by the City of Campbell River and was used by the City of Campbell River as a temporary emergency shelter for the homeless during the winters of 2013-14 and 2014-15.

The Cowichan Valley Citizen reported on this Motion on 7 September 2018, prior the the Committee of the Whole meeting on 1 October 2018. The Cowichan Valley Citizen reported on 3 October 2018 about the defeat of this Motion by Duncan Committee of the Whole.

If I had been on the Duncan Committee of the Whole, I would have voted against this Motion. My reasons are explained below:

The Motion read as follows:

“New Business

6.1  Notice of Motion – Councillor Bruce

That staff be directed to contact Municipality of North Cowichan, Cowichan Valley Regional District and Cowichan Tribes with an invitation to help acquire a Mobile Shelter to help those most vulnerable;

And That staff be directed to contact Campbell River and buy, rent or borrow their extra mobile shelter and have it transported to the Valley immediately;

And That, if funds are needed, the City will allocate up to $10,000 at this time;

And That, with the permission of the United Church, the mobile shelter will be located in the Duncan United Church parking lot and run by the United Church until a suitable location can be determined.”

The photo below shows what this converted shipping container looked like in Campbell River in 2013.

This photo of a shipping container converted into temporary shelter was published in the the Campbell River Mirror in September 2013. Campbell River used this converted container as a temporary emergency shelter. (photo: Campbell River Mirror)
This photo of a shipping container converted into temporary shelter was published in the the Campbell River Mirror in September 2013. Campbell River used this converted container as a temporary emergency shelter. (photo: Campbell River Mirror)

Here are some Campbell River Mirror articles about Campbell River’s experience with these shipping containers converted into shelters:

Discussion of this Motion at the Duncan Committee of the Whole meeting on 1 October 2018 included the following:

  • City of Duncan CAO Peter de Verteuil advised the Committee that this converted container unit was in disrepair and would require an estimated $30,000 worth of repairs to be put into serviceable condition.;
  • Councillor Roger Bruce said this container would only be a temporary solution and that these containers are used to house loggers and miners in B.C. logging and mining camps [Note: I don’t think Councillor Bruce has been anywhere near a logging or mining camp recently if he thinks this converted shipping container is typical of camp accommodation for BC loggers and miners.]
  • Mayor Phil Kent said this unit was definitely not typical of accommodation used in BC Logging and mining camps, as Councillor Bruce had stated. {note: Mayor Kent is correct is saying that]. Mayor Kent also wanted to know more about the history of Campbell River’s experiences with this unit, noting that the City of Campbell River is not using the unit as shelter at this time;
  • Duncan United Church Minister Keith Simmonds addressed the meeting saying that Duncan United Church is not able to accommodate this container being placed on its grounds. Rev. Simmonds said the Duncan United Church does not have shower facilities or sufficient washrooms facilities to accommodate this unit being placed on its grounds and that Duncan United Church Community Outreach facilities are already stretched to their limit and Duncan United Church does not have the resources to handle this unit being placed on its grounds. Rev. Simmonds also highlighted the current condition of this converted container, saying the towing hitch was broken and the interior was contaminated with mould. Rev. Simmonds was also concerned that residents living near Duncan United Church would not react favourably to this proposal, which would negatively affect the good relationship Duncan United Church has with its neighbours.
  •  Duncan United Church Minister Keith Simmonds also noted that BC Housing is not happy with the idea of housing people in converted shipping containers.
  • Three other members of the public, including one person who is currently homeless, addressed the meeting; their comments were unanimously against this Motion.

This Motion was defeated on a vote by the Committee of the Whole. I agree with the Committee’s decision.

My comments: this Motion was not adequately researched before being presented.

  • The Cowichan Valley Citizen reported on 7 September 2018 that the Motion suggested the unit be placed in the parking lot of Duncan United Church. Yet Duncan United Church Minister Keith Simmonds attended the Committee of the Whole meeting on 1 October 2018 and stated that Duncan United Church was not equipped to handle this and did not have the resources to do it. Wasn’t Reverend Simmonds contacted about this Motion by Councillor Bruce before the Motion was presented? It seems not;
  • The Campbell River Mirror has stated in various prior articles that this unit cost $10,000 per month in staffing costs. There is nothing in the Motion which addresses the costs of staffing this unit;
  • City of Duncan staff reported that the unit was currently inoperable and required approximately $30,000 worth of work to make it serviceable. Could this fact not have been determined by a simple phone call to the City of Campbell River prior to the Notice of Motion being presented on 7 September 2018, let alone prior to the Committee of the Whole meeting on 1 October 2018.

In short, I think this Motion was ill considered and inadequately researched prior to being presented. The need for a temporary emergency shelter is well known. This Motion did nothing to address this pressing problem; instead it presented a completely unviable and unworkable proposal which simply diverted resources and attention away from other potentially viable and workable solutions.

 

Mark Anderson – candidate for City of Duncan Council – 3 October 2018