Mixed in amongst the touching stories of addiction and perseverance told at the Salvation Army’s 10th annual Dignity Breakfast, was a special announcement made by executive director David Macpherson.
READ MORE: Stories of struggle and perseverance shared at 10th annual Dignity Breakfast
“In the next five years, we are going to build a new shelter and transitional housing unit,” Macpherson announced to a roar of applause.
“We’re going to provide opportunities for detox and treatment, for emergency shelter beds, for several stages of transitional housing up to and including permanent housing. We’re going to provide opportunities for our hub partners, in the battle against homelessness and addiction, to join us in that place.”
Macpherson explained that this plan is still in the very early stages, and has yet to even have a location picked out.
“We’re going to build that place either in Pitt Meadows or Maple Ridge, depending on which city stands up and says ‘me’ first. We’re going to build this place because we need this place. Because the facility we currently have does not look like dignity to me.”
Afterward, Macpherson expanded on this announcement, providing some further details as to what the future facility might look like.
“I envision four stories, 50,000 square feet, and approximately 100 beds in the building.”
He also commented further on the state of their current facility, which is located at 22188 Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge.
“We have 55 shelter beds for men and women, and we are actually over capacity. It’s not supposed to have 55, but we’ve crammed 55 people in, which is one of the reasons we can’t do an extreme weather shelter in our current building. So 55 shelter beds for men and women, and 15 transitional housing units in our Genesis program.”
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“This will be an increase of 30 [beds] from that.”
While the project is expected to take several years to complete, Macpherson and Sheldon Feener, area commander for the B.C. south division of the Salvation Army, said it is definitely going to happen.
“It’s a promise that we’re doing bigger and better things here because it’s needed,” said Feener.
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