New women’s shelter and supportive housing complex planned for Kelowna

NOW Canada Society is applying to build a five-storey, 34-unit housing project in the Pandosy area of Kelowna.

“The subject site consists of a single legal parcel, upon which exists a 1950s era building operated as a group home by the NOW Canada Society,” says the development permit application by New Town Architecture that was posted on a City of Kelowna website, Dec. 15.

The property is listed as 2609-2611 Richter St., near Wardlaw Ave.

The society’s Alexandra Gardner Women and Children Safe Centre is listed as being at 2609 Richter St.

It is “Kelowna’s only 24/7 homeless shelter for women, youth and children,” according to NOW Canada’s website.

The new building will provide the same types of services.

“This is a B.C. Housing funded project that will provide shelter and below-market rental homes to women and children," the application says.

Now Canada did not return a call from iNFOnews.ca about this new project and the impact on the current house before publication time.

“Since 1998, NOW Canada has been providing front-line programs and services for women and youth who have experienced addictions, abuse, sexual exploitation and mental health challenges,” it says on its website. “NOW Canada is proud to offer a continuum of care, specifically designed for those we serve, and offers emergency shelter, transitional housing and affordable independent living, as well as a variety of programs and services to compliment each housing initiative.”

For more information on NOW Canada, go here.


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Rob Munro

Rob Munro has a long history in journalism after starting an underground newspaper in Whitehorse called the Yukon Howl in 1980. He spent five years at the 100 Mile Free Press, starting in the darkroom, moving on to sports and news reporting before becoming the advertising manager. He came to Kelowna in 1989 as a reporter for the Kelowna Daily Courier, and spent the 1990s mostly covering city hall. For most of the past 20 years he worked full time for the union representing newspaper workers throughout B.C. He’s returned to his true love of being a reporter with a special focus on civic politics

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