Dear editor:
Many thanks again to islanders for your support for Snug Cove House Society’s application for funding from B.C. Housing, especially the 175 individuals and households who wrote strong and thoughtful letters for us. Unfortunately the application did not meet with success. Most of the 40 or so applicants from across the province failed to make the cut because they weren’t ‘shovel-ready’ – being ready for construction was the key condition of the B.C. Housing offering. Our architects, construction managers and team of specialist engineers and consultants worked together impressively smoothly and speedily to meet the accelerated timeline four days ahead of the deadline.
B.C. Housing agreed that we were shovel-ready, but will not, as is its practice, explain why we were not accepted. Our advisors have said in the past that the support services included in our seniors’ residence – kitchen, dining, and social space etc. – were not a perfect fit for B.C. Housing, which is interested primarily in straightforward accommodation, but can on occasion be flexible about support services. The society is now discussing the possibility of compromising on its plans in order to re-apply to B.C. Housing.
Graham Ritchie, Chair, SCHS
