THE BEACON: Former drug haven now features clean, safe rooms
CHERYL CHAN
Province
Rich Coleman at the opening of the Beacon Hotel in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. JASON PAYNE — THE PROVINCE
The Downtown Eastside’s most notorious hotel reopened for business yesterday with a new mandate to provide safe, clean rooms for 40 homeless people.
The Backpackers Inn at 7 West Hastings Street — a crime and drug haven singled out by Vancouver police as the worst-run single-roomoccupancy in the city — was purchased by the provincial government in January for approximately $3 million.
“I wasn’t sure this one could actually get done,” said Housing Minister Rich Coleman, referring to the deplorable condition the hotel was in before renovations began.
“I’m just thrilled and impressed at how it’s turned out.”
The former owner completed renovations on the three-storey brick building as part of the sale conditions before the province took possession in July and put in fire and safety upgrades.
Re-christened the Beacon Hotel, the building will be operated by the Portland Hotel Society, which is also set to provide support to the new tenants — many of them from the New Fountain shelter a block away, who often struggle with drug addiction and mental illness.
It’s the latest SRO to be unveiled out of the 23 hotels purchased and renovated by the province at a cost of $138 million.
Other recent openings include the 25-unit Savoy and the 63-room Dominion Hotel. Renovations at two more buildings — the 40room Orwell Hotel and the 138-room Marble Arch — are expected to be completed in late fall.
Michael Shadbolt, who had been homeless for two years, said he’s happy to finally have a roof over his head.
“It’s a complete change of life for me, a place to recharge my batteries. It’s just safe, clean housing,” said Shadbolt, 47.
Coleman said safeguards such as 24/7 staffing, secure entrances, surveillance cameras and a police liaison officer have been put in place to make sure the building doesn’t revert to its former state.
