Filmmaker creates a documentary in response to Terwillegar housing controversy

EDMONTON- A short documentary called Waking up the Neighbours has emerged online that addresses the heated response a proposed Terwillegar housing complex has created in Edmonton recently.

The six-minute mini-documentary briefly profiles a former homeless man named Harvey, who claims that supportive housing saved his life.

Through a series of interviews, the documentary chronicles Harvey’s downward spiral into homelessness, culminating with him living in the bushes of the River Valley, and his subsequent journey to reclaim his life.

A key part of that turnaround, says Harvey, was when he was able to access supportive housing at Canora Place Apartments.

The documentary was directed by local filmmaker Mark Power, who said he felt compelled to make the film after witnessing the reaction to the news of the supportive housing project in Terwillegar.

“I started hear some of the defamatory comments about who the homeless population are,” he said. “I think the homeless bear enough judgment on their shoulders as it is, and I think the labels that we put on them just make it all that much more difficult.”

“I think when we hear the word ‘homeless’ it conjures up a lot of different images for us,” he added. “I think it is easy to assume the worst, I think it is easy to think that most homeless people are drug addicts, it is easy to assume that they are alcoholics. But, some people just can’t pay their bills when they end up in the hospital for a while, and they end up on the street. Some people just lose it. Life is tough.”

“I wanted to make people understand that we are living with human beings.”

Many of those against the Terwillegar project have cited a poor location as one of their key concerns, saying the building will be too isolated from grocery stores and other amenities.

“It’s not that we don’t love the homeless, we do,” said Shauna Hostland, who has lived in Terwillegar for three years. “We just want to do what is best for them, and have a policy in place that is actually going to help them, and put them in a location that is best for them.”

Power addressed those concerns, saying that the difference between a location being good or bad is largely a matter of perspective.

“I think one person might say ‘wow, look, the closest grocery store is a kilometre away,’ and somebody else might say ‘well, it’s only a kilometre away,’ he said.  “I can’t speak for every individual person on the street might believe, but after living on the street I think having a roof over their heads would be most peoples’ priority, and where it is doesn’t really matter.”

“There are other options to get into town,” said Stephen Collettm who’s currently living in supportive housing, and believes the Terwillegar location wouldn’t be an issue for the people living in the complex.

“You have to give them an opportunity to let them grow and become a part of the community,” he said after hearing about the opposition some of the residents had. “Not everybody is a bad seed. There are a lot of people who have lost their trade for whatever reason, but if you give them the opportunity to grow into the community, they can become a good part of that community.”

Like the proposed Terwillegar Towne housing complex, Harvey’s home in Waking up the Neighbours was built by Homeward Trust and the Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre.

“Once you have an address,” he says during the film. “So many doors open up for you: job opportunities, getting your life back in order.”

Harvey is not the only former homeless person praising the benefits of supportive housing.

“Since I have got into this place I have changed my life around,” said Douglas Bull, who was homeless and sleeping on the street for 12 years before finding supportive housing in Canora Place Apartments – the same location as Harvey.

With files from Ross Neitz, Global News

Waking up the Neighbours can be watched in its entirety below. Courtesy of Mark Power.

waking up the neighbours – a short documentary about second chances from Mark Power on Vimeo.