The tiniest of efforts could soon be making a huge difference for those experiencing homelessness in at least one B.C. community.
Last week, poverty advocates in Campbell River unveiled the first prototype of a new portable, wooden tiny home pod. As designed by Shawn Decaire of the warming centre Kwesa Place, the pods can be transported like a wheelbarrow during the day, giving people a lockable space to store their belongings. Then, at night, people using the pods can extend a section out, providing just enough room to lay down and sleep.
sa国际传媒淭his is the first one, wesa国际传媒檒l be making a second prototype,sa国际传媒� said Sharon Karsten, executive director of the co-sponsoring drug crisis response group Walk With Me, who was seeing the pod for the first time.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檇 like to get 30 going by the fall if we can. Wesa国际传媒檇 like to have a production house in some way where people are making and assembling them. Theysa国际传媒檒l be able to paint them, make them their own and make them beautiful.sa国际传媒�
The idea for the pods came from discussions with the unhoused community, who told Walk With Me and Kwesa Place representatives that sa国际传媒渢heresa国际传媒檚 a long list of things that have been thrown at people at night as they were sleeping,sa国际传媒� Karsten said.
sa国际传媒淔rom bottles, to eggs, to whatever; it was an endless list,sa国际传媒� she said.
The Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness is supporting the project. In an email, the Coalition said sa国际传媒渢he potential of this concept to provide both a space to keep people up off the ground as well as to replace the use of some carts is really exciting.
sa国际传媒淐ombining that with local Indigenous hand-painted art makes for a creative solution to multiple concernssa国际传媒e look forward to seeing how this project unfolds over the coming months and hope that we can bring the community together to discuss how to make this successful for Campbell River.sa国际传媒�
The hard shell of the wooden pod will offer some protection for those inside. There is also fire resistant insulation in the design as well as windows that can be opened and closed from the inside. The pods are also lockable from both the inside and outside, which will offer protection to those inside overnight, and protection for their belongings during the day.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not intended to be the solution in any way,sa国际传媒� Karsten said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a part of a part of a part of housing. Wesa国际传媒檇 like to have this as an emergency middle ground between sleeping in tents sa国际传媒� if people want it.sa国际传媒�
Decaire painted the design on the first prototype, which he called the sa国际传媒淎ngel Podsa国际传媒� in homage to two community members who passed away earlier this year. The design incorporates the sea trout motif, which Decaire said was sa国际传媒渙ne of those creatures thatsa国际传媒檚 always evolved through evolution. In the seas, all of the animals lived on it, so itsa国际传媒檚 part of every animal. Itsa国际传媒檚 part of the birds, part of the whales, the bears.sa国际传媒�
The idea is to have the 30 units built by the fall.
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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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