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Steps from the spot where homeless people were camping-out overnight last winter, a new building is now in place to put a roof over their heads.
"Having a building for 38 people right across the alley from that, is significant progress for our community," said Mike Gawliuk with the Canadian Mental Health Association in Kelowna.
Ellis Place will be accepting its first residents on Monday. It's an impressive fact considering construction on the 38 unit modular building hadn't begun four months ago. The building will also feature an unprecedented level of support for the people who will soon be calling it home.
"We'll have nursing staff and social work staff on-site 8 hours a day, seven days a week," said Gawliuk, "That's a potential game-changer for us."
He admits that operating the project will not be without its setbacks. "We are confident that while there will be challenges that arise, we have the people and the capacity to address those."
Each unit has a small kitchen, washroom and shower, with a commercial kitchen and lounge in a common area.
Ellis Place was built by BC Housing on land provided by the City of Kelowna. It becomes the fourth facility in the community to be operated by the CMHA.
As has become customary with these kinds of projects, a community advisory committee has been established to give people who live and work in the neighbourhood a voice in how it's operated.
"It's a place for people who are outside to call home," said a proud Mike Gawliuk. "Some of whom will call it home for the first time in a long time. And they'll have an opportunity to move forward and look at what life can look at again."
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