The Chilliwack
Progress Thursday
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Music
Book Sale
Hall of Fame
Beguiling Tom Wilson plays small venue in Chilliwack.
Thrill of the hunt at the Rotary Book Sale.
Turbo team tells a tale of perseverance.
Scene
News
Sports
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 3
Supportive health and housing centre opens
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BEFORE CLOSURE
Jennifer Feinberg The Progress It’s taken more than a decade for Chilliwack to realize the dream of offering housing and health services in a onestop shop, to help cut crime and violence in the streets. The new Chilliwack Health & Housing Centre opened its doors on Oct. 16 with a special celebration. “It started with a problem and ended with a triumph,” trumpets the press backgrounder on the Health & Housing Centre sent out from organizers. Tenants are moving in to Annis Residences, the 22-unit housing component of the centre, located in a renovated motel on Hocking Road. Mayor Sharon Gaetz can’t wait to see the impact the new centre will have on her city. “A tremendous amount of time and effort by so many has gone into taking this centre from vision to reality,” she said. “We are extremely pleased that the day has come for this development to open its doors and serve those most at risk in our community. I for one can’t wait to see the difference this centre will make on our city.” It was 2000 when a committee starting working toward a supportive housing facility for the homeless and addicted. They would offer wrap-around services targeting affordable housing, addiction and mental health issues, with everything from health and employment, to supportive housing programs. It took a determined group of advocates from health and social service agencies, government, business and faith networks working toward a common goal. They guided it from the nascent idea of a “contact centre” as it was first called, to solve some of the complex, multi-barrier issues that were erupting in downtown Chilliwack. Continued: CENTRE/ p9
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Newlyweds Amanda and Shane Stuart from White Rock stroll through Minter Gardens after their wedding ceremony on Saturday afternoon. Theirs was the second to last wedding to take place at the famous show gardens. Minter Gardens closed permanently on Monday after 33 years. For more photos, go online to www/theprogress.com. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Dogwood rezoning goes through despite opposition Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Residents with homes along Luckakuck Creek packed Chilliwack chambers Tuesday night, urging council to turn down a rezoning for a proposed development on Dogwood Drive. They shared concerns about traffic tie-ups, tree removal, ponds being filled and headwaters being buried. They signed a petition and sent council letters of opposition — to no avail. After considering the mat-
ter for the third time, council approved rezoning the properties to an R3 designation from R1A, with one councillor, Ken Popove, opposed. At issue for many of the residents who spoke at the hearing was the community impact of the new housing development, on residents as well as creek habitat and wildlife. “I would like to object in the strongest possible terms to the rezoning,” said resident Patrick O’Shea. The extra traffic on Dogwood Drive will “destroy the quiet enjoyment of our home.”
Fighting the development has taken its toll. “The process of defending our home has been very trying and has affected our health,” O’Shea said. In response to public concerns at previous hearings from area residents, the applicants re-submitted a rezoning application, which was scaled down in this new version for 31 single family homes, rather than town homes in a multi-family development. Access and traffic concerns were also high on many speak-
ers’ lists of priorities. The plan shows 18 of the 31 units accessing the development from Vedder Road, with the remaining 13 gaining access via the controversial easement over 6545 Dogwood Drive, but that will be decided later. Resident Eli Raymond zeroed in on traffic issues. “I live on the corner. Those cars are going to be lined up in front of my door.” Developer Larr y Les addressed several of the concerns raised at previous hearings, including the creek, Continued: HOUSING/ p17