Boyle Street gets permission to build new home base, with restrictions

Boyle Street Community Services will begin construction on its new headquarters in McCauley this summer, having cleared a final regulatory hurdle. 

The city's subdivision and development appeal board upheld the charity's development permit on Thursday, adding conditions to its previously approved permit.

The ruling means the organization is free to move its operations from its current home at 10116 105 Ave., to a new location a couple of blocks away. 

Boyle Street CEO Jordan Reiniger said staff are really pleased with the decision. 

He said he hopes it marks a "turning point" in terms of discussions with nearby community groups.

"We're going to be building this beautiful facility for the people that we serve and we're excited to work with the community partners on solutions," he told CBC News on Friday.

Boyle Street announced in 2021 plans to leave its current location, a former banana-ripening warehouse near Rogers Place, and move to a larger building at 10010 107A Ave. 

The new headquarters will be called okimaw pewesew kamik — Cree for King Thunderbird Centre. Located across the street from Victoria School of the Arts, the facility will house Boyle Street's staff and offer clients primarily health-related services.

Numerous groups have opposed the charity's plans for the building over the past two years, largely because of concerns about safety and social disorder.

Last November, the development appeal board revoked the project's permit, saying the proposed building didn't fit with current zoning rules but Boyle Street obtained another permit from the city in March.

Before a recent appeal hearing, Boyle Street and the Chinatown Business Association agreed on a set of rules for the facility. 

The conditions, which the development board has added to the permit, say neither a drop-in centre nor a supervised consumption site can be run out of the building and only clients receiving health services can access showers, laundry, bathrooms and meals there.

The new permit also does not allow people to congregate or camp outside the building.

Reiniger said Boyle Street is still concerned that Indigenous cultural and ceremonial activities will not be allowed at the building.

"So we'll work with the city to try and bring that back," he said.

According to the charity's most recent annual report, the majority of Boyle Street's clients are Indigenous.

Reiniger said most of the services Boyle Street offers at its current building, which is now owned by the Katz Group, will be available in the future, but the charity will have to change the way it delivers them. 

Teresa Spinelli, president of the Italian Centre Shop, was among the business owners who had safety concerns about the initial proposal. 

She said she is happy with the conditions added to the permit and that both sides worked together to find common ground.

"We want to help and support our most vulnerable community members in a way that supports our communities too," she said. 

Boyle Street expects the building will open in the fall of 2024.