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.
含羞草研究社淭his is the first one, we含羞草研究社檒l be making a second prototype,含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檇 like to get 30 going by the fall if we can. We含羞草研究社檇 like to have a production house in some way where people are making and assembling them. They含羞草研究社檒l be able to paint them, make them their own and make them beautiful.含羞草研究社�
The idea for the pods came from discussions with the unhoused community, who told Walk With Me and Kwesa Place representatives that 含羞草研究社渢here含羞草研究社檚 a long list of things that have been thrown at people at night as they were sleeping,含羞草研究社� Karsten said.
含羞草研究社淔rom bottles, to eggs, to whatever; it was an endless list,含羞草研究社� she said.
The Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness is supporting the project. In an email, the Coalition said 含羞草研究社渢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.
含羞草研究社淐ombining that with local Indigenous hand-painted art makes for a creative solution to multiple concerns含羞草研究社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.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 not intended to be the solution in any way,含羞草研究社� Karsten said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a part of a part of a part of housing. We含羞草研究社檇 like to have this as an emergency middle ground between sleeping in tents 含羞草研究社� if people want it.含羞草研究社�
Decaire painted the design on the first prototype, which he called the 含羞草研究社淎ngel Pod含羞草研究社� in homage to two community members who passed away earlier this year. The design incorporates the sea trout motif, which Decaire said was 含羞草研究社渙ne of those creatures that含羞草研究社檚 always evolved through evolution. In the seas, all of the animals lived on it, so it含羞草研究社檚 part of every animal. It含羞草研究社檚 part of the birds, part of the whales, the bears.含羞草研究社�
The idea is to have the 30 units built by the fall.
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