Camosun carpentry students are putting their skills to work to tackle homelessness in Greater Victoria. Over the past several weeks, a student team has been busy constructing an 8x10-foot prototype micro-house for Choices Transitional Home, run by Our Place Society.
B次元官网网址淚t is a great fit for us in the carpentry department because every Level 1 apprentice and every foundation student needs to build a floor, walls and a roof in order to satisfy the practical competencies of the program,B次元官网网址� says CamosunB次元官网网址檚 Architectural Trades chair Al van Akker. B次元官网网址淚f we build micro-houses, we will achieve all of our curricular requirements, and could make a measurable contribution to the most needy in our community.B次元官网网址�
With appropriate funding and planning, van Akker says that Camosun carpentry students could construct up to 100 micro-houses per year.
B次元官网网址淩ight now at Choices, there are 30 tents in their courtyard. WeB次元官网网址檇 like to replace those with micro-houses, which will be a lot more suitable for the wet and cold weather that will be coming in a few months.B次元官网网址�
Our Place executive director Don Evans agrees. B次元官网网址淲e are thrilled to have the micro-house prototype constructed by Camosun students at Choices,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 see micro-houses as a viable option for people experiencing homelessness because they are cost effective and take up little space. There can be opportunities to place them in different locations such as church parking lots or vacant land.B次元官网网址�
The micro-house solution is not a permanent one, but it can provide a bridge between a tent in a park and a permanent home. A similar initiative at Opportunity Villiage in Eugene, Ore. has proven successful at addressing homelessness and related issues in that community.
Evans envisions an important role for the Choices facility as part of a lasting solution to homelessness here in Greater Victoria.
B次元官网网址淔or the next eight months, Choices will be used for transitioning people from the street into permanent housing. Over the long term, we would like to see Choices developed into a recovery centre for people struggling with mental health and addictions,B次元官网网址� he says.
Choices Transitional Home in View Royal was opened by Our Place in February 2016 to provide housing for 50 homeless people who were previously living at the tent city on the lawn of the provincial courthouse. The repurposed facility provides both indoor and outdoor housing options.
Our Place is a unique inner-city community centre serving Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 most vulnerable: working poor, impoverished elderly, mentally and physically challenged, addicted and the homeless. They serve over 1,600 meals per day and provide hot showers, free clothing, counseling and outreach services, plus 45 transitional housing units.
Volunteers, financial and clothing donations are always needed. B次元官网网址淲e are also looking for sponsors of the new micro-houses,B次元官网网址� notes Evans. B次元官网网址淐ost is about $2,000 per home.B次元官网网址�
For more information about CamosunB次元官网网址檚 carpentry program, visit and for Choices go to .
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
