To the editor:
Re: "麻豆传媒映画church housing proposal perturbs residents," April 12.
While I was excited to see that the affordable rental housing proposal at First/Victoria was receiving news coverage, I was somewhat dismayed by reading your article in the 麻豆传媒映画Courier which appeared, to me, to be somewhat biased in that while the opponents view of the development is well laid out, the benefits and supporters views are not as well-portrayed.
In fact, the project has a significant amount of registered community support from residents in the neighbourhood. I don't feel like your article did justice to the significant merits of the project in terms of new affordable housing that is badly needed in the rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood of Grandview-Woodlands. Perhaps speaking to other social agencies in the area, and other owners/renters would help to inform your article with a more balanced perspective in this regard.
There are people in our neighbourhood that simply need an affordable home in which to live. This may include seniors, and those currently paying much more than they can afford so that other aspects of their health is impacted. This model offered by Salsbury Community Society offers more than a home-with common amenity/garden spaces and peer support to encourage networks of community, friends and support. This is something that Salsbury Community Society has had experience doing in the immediate neighbourhood for more than 10 years.
In regards to the complaints by the opponent in your article-note that the proponent to operate the housing is Salsbury Community Society, not the church. The church is simply providing the land, which is presently a parking lot.
Over the years, the church has also been providing weekday after school services for children, theatre programs for youth, and a weekly drop-in for single mothers for many years. Those beneficial outreach programs don't seem to get as much coverage as the meal and shelter program. The church has been providing service to the neighbourhood for more than 100 years.
Brian Butt, Vancouver
