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By Kate Bouey
Howard House Tear Down Will Be Costly

Howard House Take Down Will Be Costly

Apr 1, 2019 | 10:01 AM

Tearing down the old Howard House shelter could come with a price tag of up to $300-thousand.

Randene Wejr, co-executive director of the Turning Points Collaborative Society, says there is asbestos in the building.

“We don’t have a date yet when we will actually be taking the Howard House,” said Wejr. “At this point, we’re working with the province and other possible funders in how we can pay for that cost because there is asbestos in the building and it’s going to be quite costly.”

Howard House has come to the end of its usefulness, with some residents moving into the new, 46-bed ‘Our Place’ shelter that opened last week.

Wejr says some people still remain at Howard House as they are slated to move into the ‘My Place’ supportive housing units on 27th Avenue when they become available in June.

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The most recent survey last fall indicated there was 161 homeless people in Vernon.

Wejr admits it is unlikely the new spaces will take some of the pressure off the Gateway Shelter in the downtown.

“You know, I think we’re still going to be full at Gateway. I think that where the pressure will come, I think that people will come inside. It is a different facility than the bunk rooms in Howard House where you are living in very large dorms and that is difficult for some people.”

by Kate Bouey

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