Chemainus Residents Association

Category: Community

  • Affordable Housing – How do we do it?

    Housing prices are being driven out of reach by market forces most of us don’t understand. How can we prevent the increase in housing costs from eroding the quality of life for families?

    The alternative to affordable housing is the plague of homelessness in our communities, and hardship for families that can’t afford other life essentials because the cost of housing consumes too much of their monthly income.

    Most would agree that affordable housing is a social priority, but the cost of housing continues to increase and the COVID-19 pandemic has made a bad situation worse. So what steps can be taken to provide the housing that, in turn, puts a livable lifestyle within reach?

    Those are the questions that will be addressed by John Horn, Executive Director of the Cowichan Housing Association in a presentation to the Chemainus Residents’ Association April 8, 6:30 PM on Zoom, when he will talk about one of the most pressing, and complex problems facing communities today: affordable housing.

    Join us and hear what he has to say. There will be an opportunity for people to ask questions after his presentation. If you want to get up to speed beforehand, visit the Cowichan Housing Association website. In April 2019, the CHA completed an Attainable Housing Strategy for the CVRD that identifies priorities and ‘targets for success’. They are also working in conjunction with CVRD’s recently-completed Regional Housing Needs Assessment.

    The meeting can be joined April 8 at 6:15 PM on Zoom.

  • Rotary making a difference

    Rotarians Tom Andrews and Bob Smith at work on the Waterwheel Park bandshell

    Members of the Chemainus Rotary Club have been hard at it, power washing, scraping and re-staining the log and wood trim exterior of the bandshell in Waterwheel Park. Rotarians Tom Andrews, Bob Smith and Richard Johnson were wielding brushes and rollers Wednesday afternoon, giving the main stage of the Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society a makeover. Others in the crew are Mike Beggs, Doc the Barber, Mark Staples and David McCormick.

    By the time they’ve applied the finishing touches, the club will have put in an estimated week-and-a-half on the project, just one of the many contributions it’s membership makes for the community. “There was tons of mold, and lichen, you name it, so we’ve power washed the building, now we’re painting and staining,” Smith said.

    They will also be refurbishing the benches in the amphitheatre area, a job that will require lots of elbow grease.

    The bandshell is just one of the structures and programs the Chemainus Rotary Club has supported over the years, and with their emblem on top of the stage, they want to make sure it stays in good shape, ready to use for years to come. The CVCAS manages the bandshell, and holds its Music in the Park series – and many other events – on its stage.

    Other Chemainus projects Rotary is engaged include a picnic shelter being constructed at Kin Beach Park and an outdoor shower, and the highly successful drive-in bottle collection fund-raiser, Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM on Chemainus Drive at Mill Street. They are also supporting the Nourish Cowichan project, which provides weekend packages for school children in the Cowichan Valley.

    That’s a shortlist, and with a membership of about 20, the Rotary is “spread kind of thin” with its long list of activities right now, Andrews said. You can find out more about what Rotary does and how to join on their website.