boffo kettle - public consultation report -final- 2012 … · brook pooni associates inc. kettle...

Brook Pooni Associates Inc.

Suite 410 – 535 Thurlow Street Vancouver, BC V6E 3L2 www.brookpooni.com

T 604.731.9053 | F 604.731.9075

PUBLIC CONSULTATION SUMMARY REPORT The Kettle Friendship Society Community Open House – November 28, 2012 Prepared by: Brook Pooni Associates Inc. Prepared For: Boffo Properties Date: December 12, 2012


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................ 3 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE ....................................................................................................................................... 4

I. Event Details ........................................................................................................................................ 4 II. Notification ........................................................................................................................................ 4 III. Attendance ....................................................................................................................................... 5 IV. Purpose ............................................................................................................................................. 5 V. Format .............................................................................................................................................. 5 VI. Presentation Material ....................................................................................................................... 6 VII. Feedback ......................................................................................................................................... 6

CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 APPENDIX A: COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE FLYER INVITATION ............................................................................. 8 APPENDIX B: FLYER INVITATION NOTIFICATION AREA ......................................................................................... 9 APPENDIX C: COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE DISPLAY BOARDS ............................................................................. 11 APPENDIX D: COMMENT FORM – ORIGINAL .......................................................................................................... 21 APPENDIX E: COMMENT FORM TRANSCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 23


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On behalf of The Kettle Friendship Society (Kettle) and Boffo Properties (Boffo), Brook Pooni Associates facilitated a Community Open House on Wednesday November 28, 2012. The purpose of the Community Open House was to:

• Introduce Kettle to those in the community who may not have been aware of it and to invite those who knew about Kettle to learn more about the society;

• Provide an overview of the services Kettle provides, role they play in the community, their need for expansion; and

• Share Kettle’s vision for the future.

Community Open House – Quick Facts

# of Flyers Distributed 5,325

# of Attendees (approx.)* 35

# of Completed Comment Forms Received

14

Attendees of the Community Open House had the opportunity to provide feedback on Kettle and their vision for the future. All1 respondents were supportive of the work Kettle does in the community and the services provided. Respondents felt Kettle is filling a genuine need in the community with some noting it could have been a benefit to themselves or family members if they were aware of their services and programs. Almost all expressed their direct support for Kettle to continue its work and expand as necessary. One respondent indicated that further explanation of the new model and trade off between social facilities and market housing was needed. Another respondent also expressed the desire to further understand the scale of the proposal.

1 One respondent noted they arrived late and did not provide comment on Kettle services or future vision.


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INTRODUCTION Kettle has been serving those in need in Vancouver for over 35 years. The society seeks to:

• Provide housing, employment, advocacy and support services; • Raise awareness of mental illness; and • Promote the inclusion of people living with mental illness in all aspects of society.

With an established presence in the local community Kettle services are well used and their facility is beyond capacity. Kettle’s vision for the future includes a new purpose built facility that can better accommodate the needs of a growing community and better serve existing and future Kettle clients through expansion and the provision of safe, secure and supportive housing units. As part of their planning for the future Kettle hosted a Community Open House in conjunction with Boffo to share their current work and future vision with the community. This report provides a summary of the Community Open House held and includes:

• Event details; • Format of Event; • An overview of the feedback received through comment forms; • Transcription of feedback received; • Copies of notification materials; and • Copies of presentation materials.

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE

I. Event Details Date: Wednesday November 28, 2012 Time: 5:00PM – 7:30PM Location: The Kettle Friendship Society, Drop-In Centre 1725 Venables Street, Vancouver BC

II. Notification Approximately 5,325 flyer invitations were distributed to residents and businesses in the area surrounding Kettle via a Canada Post Unaddressed Mail Drop. Appendix A contains a copy of the flyer invitation. The notification area generally extended from Clark Drive east to Nanaimo, 1st Avenue north to Pender Street. Specific Canada Post mail carrier routes within the bounds noted above are outlined in Appendix B of this report. To supplement the unaddressed mail drop, flyer invitations were left at the Britannia Community Centre and Public Open House details were shared via the City of Vancouver Grandview Woodlands Community Planning Process list serve and facebook page.


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III. Attendance Approximately 35 community members attended the Community Open House. Project Team: The Kettle Friendship Society: Nancy Keough Ken Paquette Janet Smith Chris Keough Raphael McKitrick Development Team, Boffo Properties: Daniel Boffo Flavia Boffo Punzo Ryan Seminoff Marissa Iannacone Land Use Planning, Brook Pooni Associates: Gary Pooni

Kathryn Tonelli Amy McPherson

Community Outreach, Pottinger + Associates: Virginia Bird City of Vancouver: Dan Garrison Andrew Pask IV. Purpose

The purpose of the Community Open House was to: • Introduce Kettle to those in the community who may not have been aware of it and to

invite those who knew about Kettle to learn more about the society; • Provide an overview of the services Kettle provides, role they play in the community,

their need for expansion; and • Share Kettle’s vision for the future.

V. Format

The Community Open House was held at Kettle’s Drop-‐In Centre in the main floor open area. Attendees were greeted at the front entrance, asked to sign-‐in and provided a comment form which they could fill out after reviewing the presentation materials and spoke with the project team. Project team members were stationed around the display area to engage the attendees, answer questions, and discuss issues. Tables and chairs were also available for attendees to sit and fill out comment sheets, as desired.


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VI. Presentation Material

Large format boards were displayed at the Community Open House and covered the following topics:

• Welcome • Overview of Kettle (history, mission, presence in Vancouver) • Kettle Services – community services • Kettle Services – housing services • Grandview Woodland Planning Process • The Future of Kettle – need to grow • Our Vision – a new Kettle, a new model with expanded services

Complete copies of the presentation boards are in Appendix C of this report. In addition to the large format presentation boards a short video providing a more in-depth overview of Kettle and the essential services they provide was shown throughout the evening. This video can also be found on Kettle website (http://www.thekettle.ca/?page_id=483)

VII. Feedback Feedback on Kettle and their vision for the future was received via comment forms distributed at the event. All comment forms were received directly at the Community Open House, although respondents had until December 5, 2012 to submit their comment form via mail, fax, or e-‐mail. As noted above all respondents2 were supportive of the work Kettle does in the community and the services it provides to its clients. Respondents feel Kettle is filling a genuine need with some noting it could have been a benefit to themselves or family members if they were aware of the service. Almost all directly expressed a support for Kettle to continue its work and expand as necessary. One respondent felt that further explanation of the new model and trade off between social facilities and market housing was required. Another respondent expressed the desire for understand the scale of supportive housing component. Responses to each question on the comment forms are summarized below. A complete transcription of the comment forms is included in the Appendix E.

2 One respondent noted they arrived late and did not provide comment on Kettle services or future vision.


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QUESTION #1 – KETTLE: Based on what you have heard tonight what do you think about Kettle and the work we do? All respondents to this question expressed their support for the work that Kettle takes on in the community and feel Kettle is filling a genuine need. Kettle is seen as a valued organization that is essential in the community.

QUESTION #2 – THE FUTURE OF KETTLE: Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Kettle’s future plans?

In response to question two respondents noted the following

o Support for Kettle to continue its work in the community and grow to meet the needs; o Provide more opportunities for members of the community to learn more about Kettle

and its various programs and services; and o Keep the community informed as the process moves forward – provide more

information on the scale of the supportive housing as well as the trade-‐off between market housing and subsidized housing.

QUESTION #3 – ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

This question provided respondents with the opportunity to share any further comments or suggestions. Most took this as an opportunity to further express their support for Kettle and their desire that Kettle continue on with their work in the community.

CONCLUSION The Community Open House provided a venue for Kettle to reach out to the community to share more about the programs and services it provides to Grandview Woodland and Vancouver as a whole. It also allowed Kettle to receive feedback on their vision for the future – one that builds upon their legacy of service in the community through the creation of a purpose built facility with the expansion of current services and the addition of non-‐market supportive housing. Kettle looks forward to integrating their vision with the Grandview Woodland Planning process and the community’s vision for the future.


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APPENDIX A: COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE FLYER INVITATION


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APPENDIX B: FLYER INVITATION NOTIFICATION AREA The Canada Post unaddressed notification area covered approximately 5,325 addresses. Letter carrier routes included V5L: LC 001, LC 004, LC 006 through 0013, LC 0037 and V6A: LC 0152, LC 0153. The following maps further illustrate the Canada Post delivery area. Kettle Drop-In Centre is noted on each map with a red star.


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APPENDIX C: COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE DISPLAY BOARDS


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Final Board with attendees general work or residence noted.


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APPENDIX D: COMMENT FORM – ORIGINAL


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APPENDIX E: COMMENT FORM TRANSCRIPTION

The Kettle – Public Open House November 28th, 2012

Comment Form Summary NOTE: The following responses were transcribed directly from the original comment forms collected at the Community Open House; however, minor grammatical errors have been corrected to ensure legibility. NOTE: “n/a” denotes a comment form response that was not answered. QUESTION #1 –KETTLE: Based on what you have heard tonight what do you think about Kettle and the work we do?

1. I think it provides an excellent opportunity for those transitioning or looking to transition from the streets to a safe house. The hope is, through The Kettle’s many programs, that opportunities are provided to those in need. The future, which includes expansion of The Kettle’s space plus more low-‐income residential homes, looks to provide sustainable community growth.

2. Great organization doing much needed work in the city and neighbourhood. I support their expansion goals and look forward to future progress.

3. There is a huge need for the services you provide. 4. The Kettle is one of the highlights of this neighbourhood. I have always been proud of the

work they do, and to see their range of programs. I donate to The Kettle and will continue. 5. Extremely important work. I highly value what you do and that we have this space and

services in our neighbourhood. Was surprised (pleasantly) about the breadth of your services. REALLY STRONGLY support The Kettle!

6. Amazing. Very essential to the fabric of our community. Great programs and housing. I appreciate the hard work and dedication of the staff over the years in our neighbourhood.

7. I think this project is amazing and it’s what we need in our neighbourhood. I think we should expand it. It really helps out lots of people. I grew up in this area and went to school here and I wish I knew about this growing up.

8. Fantastic job, you guys have been around for a reason, great for our neighbourhood and great that you’re giving people a second chance.

9. One word – “amazing”. Really helps a lot of people and changes their lives. 10. I’m 80, I didn’t see much about The Kettle because I’m late coming. I came at 6:00 PM. Only

few videos I saw, so I cannot comment on anything. Because I didn’t see much – I came last minute. Thank you.

11. We need more places like this. 12. It’s great; we need more facilities (or a larger one) to accommodate all the needs in

Vancouver.


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13. Great organization doing very good things in the neighbourhood. 14. The work you do is terrific. Compassionate and caring people make the mentally ill clients’

lives more liveable. QUESTION #2 – THE FUTURE OF KETTLE: Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding Kettle’s future plans?

1. I would hope that The Kettle continues to offer these services to the community for a long time. It’s great to see this investment in our youth. I think that in the future greater education for our community is key. Keep the neighbourhood in the loop regarding the many services and programs The Kettle runs.

2. Please keep us informed through the process. This is an activist neighbourhood with a thirst for information and input into the neighbourhood. The neighbourhood will need education on the trade-‐off of market housing for subsidized housing.

3. I fully support the need for the services you deliver to our community. My only early concern is about the scale of the supported housing component. How big will it be? 50 units? 300 units? Grandview-‐Woodland needs supportive housing like this, but I believe that all Vancouver communities should develop their own share of supportive housing.

4. I hope The Kettle continues to expand & serve more people, especially regarding housing needs.

5. Please stay in our neighbourhood! I would like to see a weather-‐friendly park-‐like space for members to sit instead of the makeshift smoking area currently by the parking lot.

6. It’s obvious their building needs upgrading and improvements, serving so many people in our neighbourhood.

7. It’s great what The Kettle is doing and they should keep it up. It’s great for our community and it helps a lot of people.

8. Expand!! There’s a lot more people that need help. 9. Keep up the good work. I 100% support it. 10. n/a 11. n/a 12. This is a population that needs an advocate and The Kettle is just that! So grow! There is a

great need in the community! And it’s important for The Kettle to create a community for its members.

13. More affordable housing… 14. Everyone needs Jesus but none more so than your clients. They need hope and a future. The

churches need to embrace these people and help them. They need to know the future is friendly and hope for tomorrow and eternity.


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QUESTION #3 – ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

1. I am happy to see that there are practice groups in the community looking to revitalize this thriving area of town rather than an attempt at mass gentrification that will “price out” members of our community, this looks to provide our neighbourhood with a stable home for those in need.

2. n/a 3. Please keep me posted on how your plans evolve. Like I said, I support the need for the

services your community provides. 4. We are fortunate to have The Kettle; a grassroots, high quality organization. 5. Very glad to get the flyer & info about the open house delivered to our neighbourhood. 6. The Kettle needs to serve more residents so it needs more space & upgrades. 7. If I had known about this program growing up it would have changed my life; I wouldn’t

have make some choices I did in the past that we now regret. 8. Keep up the good work. 9. This program would have been great for my two daughters growing up. To have such great

support and love in this programme. My daughters suffer from bullies and low self-‐esteem issues.

10. n/a 11. I think its great that you do this and you are looking to expand. 12. n/a 13. n/a 14. The churches should be ashamed of themselves while they thoughtlessly condemn people

to a bleak and lonely life. I am confident with people like yourselves reaching out to the community with information about the real causes of mental illness –

boffo kettle - public consultation report -final- 2012 … · brook pooni associates inc. kettle...

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