A Horseshoe Bay resident is hosting open houses to present a “real alternative” to the housing development being proposed on the St. Monica’s Church site on Wellington Avenue.
The open houses will held on October 2, 3, and 4, from 7 pm to 9 pm, at 6440 Madrona Crescent.
Quma, a development company, has applied to rezone the former church site for a 14-unit multi-family development called Tantalus Gardens at the site of St. Monica’s Church.
Horseshoe Bay citizen Kevin Faw and several others in the community feel the rezoning will mean a permanent erasure of a valuable community space. Faw has even offered to buy the land from the developer to realise the community’s vision for the site as a ‘vibrant and unique community space, along with housing that is diverse and affordable, but in that order.”
Giving shape and voice to these ideas is theroundabout.ca, a website Faw recently launched to explain his vision for the site.
In this re-envisioning, the Roundabout will be a non-profit multi-purpose facility that cultivates a sense of place, belonging, social connection, and well-being. This space is open to anyone who wants to engage in building together a space that reflects the values and character of the neighborhood and the people who live in it.
“The Roundabout represents a natural culmination of much of my life’s experience. It has to do with my beliefs, how I see the world, and how I want to contribute to it. It has to do with my physical circumstances, the films and books that inspire me, my view of the housing crisis, stewarding our environment, and how to live differently and grow to be a better you,” Faw said.
Faw lives 200 metres form the St. Monica’s Church and says he is intrigued by where it sits – quite literally the hub of the neighborhood.
“For me, this has to do with how we relate to the place where we live and the people we share our neighborhood with. Interestingly, this has helped me realize this is not about me, it’s about us. And I want us to pursue the common good, in uncommon (roundabout) ways, with our community, for our community.”
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