Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps wants the Burnside-Gorge community to know that the Tally Ho Motel site on Douglas Street will not stay a homeless shelter forever.
"It's a temporary use permit. The use doesn't fit with the neighbourhoor plan," says Helps.
Last week, council gave the go-ahead to the Cool Aid Society for a transitional housing facility at the site. But Helps says the long-term goal is to develop the land in a way that's a better fit for the community. "This is a three-year temporary use permit. That will give Cool Aid time to work with the community to redevelop that site. And it's a very large site. There's lots of potential for great commercial opportunities on Douglas Street with a little bit of housing scattered in as well."
Helps wants to see that planning work start right away, "that rezoning application, we hope to see it into city hall in the fall of 2018 so they can start building what the neighbourhood wants."
The mayor is trying to ease concerns in the Burnside-Gorge area, after residents expressed concerns that their neighbourhood is becoming the dumping ground for shelters and other social supports.
For now, the Tally-Ho building will house 52 formerly homeless adults. Some will come from the Choices facility in View Royal, which itself is ending its time as temporary homeless housing.