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Developing Story: Construction starts on Strathcona library and social housing complex

The ground breaking for a highly anticipated, $25-million library and social housing complex at 720-730 East Hastings was held Monday morning.

The ground breaking for a highly anticipated, $25-million library and social housing complex at 720-730 East Hastings was held Monday morning.

The six-storey project is a joint initiative between the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Public Library and YWCA Metro Vancouver. The building, designed by the firm Dialog, is being built on a city-owned site and will feature two floors for the library topped by four floors of social housing called Cause We Care House, designated for single mothers.

The library, which will serve the Downtown Eastside, Chinatown and Strathcona community, is named nə́c̓aʔmat ct Strathcona library branch and is the first major civic building in Vancouver to have an official aboriginal name.

The word nə́c̓aʔmat ct encompasses the idea of “we are one” in the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (Musqueam) language, according to the VPL. It was inspired by the community suggestion “Namwayut” — the theme of the City of Vancouver’s Year of Reconciliation activities. The VPL board consulted with local First Nations and selected the same concept but in a local Coast Salish language. (Click here for pronunciation of nə́c̓aʔmat ct)

The VPL says the library’s name is meant to honour Coast Salish peoples and their traditional unceded territories, while also reflecting the neighbourhood’s historic city name, Strathcona.

The ground breaking was preceded by a Coast Salish brushing-off ceremony led by Chief Ian Campbell.

Chantelle Krish, a spokesperson for YWCA Metro Vancouver, said the building is expected to open in the spring of 2016.

The Cause We Care House will feature 21 units — 10 two-bedrooms, 10 three-bedrooms and one four-bedroom. A community family program space will offer medical services, employment services and a mom and tot program. Rent will be 30 per cent of tenants’ income.  

“The housing is long-term housing for low income single mothers in the community,” Krish said, explaining tenants will be interviewed and selected closer to when the building is completed.

“This project has been a long time coming. There’s been a lot of project partners involved in this, so it’s complex and it’s taken some time, but it’s coming to fruition. And to actually see this today and see everybody in the community gathered here was really special. We’re very much looking forward to spring 2016 when we can open.”

Sandra Singh, the city’s chief librarian, said the library, which will measure about 11,000 square feet, will be among the largest branches in the VPL system.

“This is the last city neighbourhood without a full-service library branch,” she said, adding along with housing books, magazines and newspapers, it will include spaces for children and teens, a digital creation space and space for a variety of community programming.

Mayor Gregor Robertson and provincial and federal politicians, including Vancouver South MP Wai Young and North Vancouver MLA Jane Thornthwaite, attended the ground breaking event, as did VPL board chair Mary Lynn Baum, YWCA Metro Vancouver CEO Janet Austin, Cause We Care Foundation chair Andrea Thomas Hill, Streetohome Foundation president and CEO Rob Turnbull, Ismaili Council for B.C. president Samira Alibhai and First Nations representatives.

The YWCA’s capital contribution is $10.08 million, which includes a $700,000 endowment to offset operating costs. It’s raised $9 million so far. The City of Vancouver’s contribution is the land valued at $2.6 million, the federal government contributed, $1.2 million, the provincial government contributed $2 million, the Cause we Care Foundation donated $1.5 million, and the Streetohome Foundation and the Ismaili Council of BC are also key donors.

noconnor@vancourier.com

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