Cheryl Chan
Province
The Lux on East Hastings Street is the latest housing complex in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. RIC ERNST — THE PROVINCE
The latest supportive housing building to officially open in the Downtown Eastside has something no other building in the city has: a bedbug sauna.
The nine-storey Lux at 65 E. Hastings boasts a 400-square-foot hot room on the ground floor that heats up to 65 C to cook the voracious apple-seed-sized parasites that plague many Metro Vancouver homes.
It’s already seen a lot of use from Lux tenants.
“I’ve already brought my couch down two times now, said Greg Cornish, 50. “It’s a really great feature.”
Of the building’s 92 self-contained units, 25 are designated low-barrier for clients struggling with addictions or mental-health issues and need intensive support, while 67 are long-term independent living units for people who require less supervision.
“It’s going to change 92 people’s lives and have an ongoing legacy,” Housing Minister Rich Coleman said at Tuesday’s official opening ceremony.
The province kicked in almost $12.9 million toward the $22.4-million capital cost, while the federal government provided $7.6 million.
Other partners include the City of Vancouver, which contributed $1.9 million for the commercial units and a 60-year land lease, and
Vancouver Coastal Health, which will cover $830,000 in annual operating costs.
Mark Smith, executive director of building operator RainCity Housing, said the Lux helps people move forward with their lives.
“Without a home, people struggle and they don’t have a chance and there’s no foundation and there’s no security,” Smith said. “With a home, life changes dramatically.”
Barry LeMaigre had been homeless for two years when he was given a key to his own suite on the fourth floor — complete with bamboo floors, a stove and a large bathroom.
Initially, he felt embarrassed and unworthy: “This is the first home I’ve had in my whole life, and I’m 47 years old,” he said.
But having a place to call home has unlocked possibilities. “When they handed me the key, it was a key to opportunities,” LeMaigre said.
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