Today marks the launch of the Victoria Cool Aid Society’s $1.5 million capital campaign for Crosstown, a development that has been seven years in the making.
Society CEO Elin Bjarnason said Crosstown is the largest and most innovative project in the organization’s history. The complex is not yet open, located at Burnside Road and Douglas Street.
She describes the vision for this development as a campus of care, noting how BC Housing and other community partners are involved. Along with supportive housing units, the building also includes zoning for some commercial space intended for wellness-oriented businesses.
“We really want it to be a place that everyone is there to wrap-around the same type of population. It is exciting.”
She expects the building to be open in the next few months, adding that funds raised from the community will go towards a second Cool Aid-operated health centre along with more wellness programming. Notably, the new health centre will also give a home-base to the vans which travel around to provide services to Cool Aid clients.
Bjarnason was on with CFAX 1070’s Al Ferraby today.