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