No praise from neighbours for church's affordable housing plan

A proposed affordable housing developmenton a historic church property is prompting protest signs to sprout amid the shrubberyin the Victoria suburb of Oak Bay.

Oak Bay United Church proposes 80 to 150 rental units to replace several smaller, run-down buildings on its large corner lot, while preserving the original 1914 church.

But some neighbours fear the church's plan is too dense and will overwhelmthe existing streetscape ofmainly early 20th-century character houses.

Rev.Keith Howard said the housing plan is a way for the church to continue to serve thecommunity well into its second century.

"One of the needs that became apparent to us and I think also to the Oak Bay Council was the need for affordable housing. Particularly with a focus on seniors," he told On the Island host Gregor Craigie.

Howard said the other objective of the development is to generate a revenue stream that will fundthe church's work in the community.

TressaBrodsky, the church's children and family life minister,said an example of that work is a weekly play group for neighbourhood children and their parents establishedbecause of a shortage of programs for young families in the area.

"Most of the people who come are not church members, they're folks from the community," Brodsky said. "They all are rentershere in Oak Bay."

Lower density townhomes rejected

"They all talk about the challenges of trying to find a good home for them to live in," she said.

The church's redevelopment plan is still in preliminary stages, in partnership with B.C. Housing.

A counter-suggestion to build a fewtownhomeson the church lot was rejected because it would not address affordable housing needs in the communityor generate enough revenue for church programs.

Howard said the modelling for the development so far is not higher than surrounding buildings. Headded thatconcerns about parking and traffic are legitimate and need to be addressed.

"We're still trying to talk to the neighbours, talk to the community and see what kind of things might be best suited," Howard said.

But a group of critics who have launched the Concerned Citizens Network are unconvinced by what they've seen so far in neighbourhood consultation meetings.

With files from CBC Radio One's On the Island.