Editor:
You reported on Sept. 9 concerns from a number of Gibsons residents around the proposed affordable housing project (“Gibsons’ affordable housing plan faces opposition”). One resident claimed that the small grant received by the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society (SCAHS) from the Town of Gibsons was for a study that would “allow our parklands to be given to someone else.” In fact, the $4,000 is for a financial feasibility study on a property on Franklin Road currently owned by the Town and designated a road right-of-way. This grant would not be used for feasibility work done on any of the other four road rights-of-way owned by the Town, including the properties on Bals Lane that are of concern to Heritage Hills residents; while not currently designated as parkland, the SCAHS certainly recognizes that they are wildlife and pedestrian corridors and that there are geotechnical issues with the sites.
We share that neighbourhood’s concerns around geotechnical issues, wildlife and natural spaces. The original intent of the project was to submit an application to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to conduct a feasibility study. The application would require that the project being assessed could yield a minimum of five housing units, hence the five proposed sites. At this point we are putting our application to CMHC on hold in order to focus on the feasibility of a pilot project on the Franklin Road site. Meanwhile we will continue to work with staff at the Town to identify other parcels viable for the development of affordable housing units.
Matt Thomson,
Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society
