This year’s BCNPHA Conference was an animated and dynamic week full of excellent sessions and opportunities to network. CitySpaces was especially proud to present three sessions!
Principal and veteran planner Gwyn Symmons presented on the Guide to Good Housing Design. The room was a full house! With a range of delegates including non-profit housing societies and architects. An insightful dialogue followed the presentation. Examples and guiding principles appeared to resonate with the audience, and discussion on the “small things” that implicate livability were shared.
CitySpaces’ Housing and Social Policy Planner, Jada Basi, presented research on mergers between non-profit housing societies on behalf of BC Housing and BCNPHA. The real stars were Jim Spinelli of Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society and Lookout Housing Society’s Executive Director and BCNPHA’s new Board Chair Shayne Williams. Jim and Shayne shared their stories of mergers and acquisitions, providing context to both small and large scale options.
Jada also presented on George and Martha: Housing Rural Seniors. The audience connected with an early slide showing a picture of Jada’s Grandma Gloria and her best friend Lynn, an example of seniors living as roommates in the interior of BC. Jada shared the unique issues demonstrating demand for seniors housing in rural communities, and the barriers to supporting seniors aging in place where healthcare and social infrastructure are limited. Kate Mancer, Principal of Lumina Services, also presented in this session and illustrated examples from around the province and concepts that work.
In between presentations, Jada was interviewed by CMHC as part of their nation-wide initiative to collect ideas on setting affordable housing projects up for success. Stay tuned for the video montage on CMHC’s website next year!
Of course, our favourite part of the conference was the chance to see old friends and make new ones. Thank you BCNPHA for hosting such a wonderful event!
We captured photos of the conference below. You can also check out Gwyn and Jada’s presentation by downloading them from the BCNPHA’s website.
