Prince George - 606 Zelkwas - Harmony House
Overview
BC Housing, the Phoenix Transition Society, and the Trinity United Church are working together to build new transition and second stage housing for women and their children in Prince George. The proposed building would provide a new space for the Harmony House program where women and their children can live for six months to one year as well as second stage housing where women and their children can live independently for up to eighteen months.
The proposed development would be located at 606/614/622 Zelkwas Avenue on the vacant land behind the Trinity United Church.
Community Engagement
We are excited to propose a home that is safe for new mothers and their young children and would like to share more information about the proposal with you. BC Housing has planned the following opportunities for neighbours and stakeholders to learn about the proposed development:
Attend a virtual neighbor information session
BC Housing and our partners invite you to participate in one of three small group dialogues to learn more about the proposed development, ask questions and provide feedback on the proposal.
Due to COVID-19, these engagement sessions will be held virtually. These sessions require registration. Please email communityrelations@bchousing.org to register for one of the sessions listed below.
- Wednesday, December 2 – 6:00pm to 7:00pm (virtual session)
- Thursday, December 3 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm (virtual session)
- Thursday, December 3 – 6:00pm to 7:00pm (virtual session)
BC Housing has started the process to rezone the property. Feedback received before December 18, 2020 will be included in the engagement summary provided to the City as part of the rezoning process.
Proposal Details
The proposed development includes a building that will accommodate women who are pregnant or recently gave birth and require a safe place to raise their children and develop life and parenting skills. The building will include both transition and second stage housing.
Transition housing functions as one large home and includes private bedrooms and bathrooms with shared kitchen and common indoor and outdoor spaces. Second stage housing includes self-contained, suites for independent living. The number of units will be confirmed through the design process, but the project team is seeking to construct a building that is two storeys and looks and feels like a home.
The Phoenix Transition Society would operate the proposed development. The Phoenix Transition Society currently operates a housing program called Harmony House, a safe house whose mission is to provide supports to pregnant women and new mothers struggling with mental health, addiction or traumas. Since January 2017, 81 women have gone through the Harmony House program and there is high demand and a long wait list for these services. The newly proposed project would expand current operations to meet an important need in the community.
The transition housing will follow the same model as the existing Harmony House program. Once women have completed the Harmony House program (typically less than one year), they move into second stage housing.
Pending approvals, the proposed project would be located on property owned by the Trinity United Church. BC Housing would hold the land for a 60-year term. One the term is up the land would be returned to the ownership of the Trinity United Church.
The proposed development is being funded through the B.C. Housing Women’s Transition Housing Fund Program.
