Vancouver real estate magnate offers up building for Syrian refugees
Ian Gillespie has offered temporary use of a 12-unit building for refugees waiting for permanent homes
CBC News
Posted: Nov 19, 2015 6:21 PM PT
Last Updated: Nov 19, 2015 6:21 PM PT
Vancouver property developer Ian Gillespie is offering
Syrian refugees temporary accommodations. 'We're in the property
business, so it seemed an obvious place to start.' (CBC)
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Vancouver property developer Ian Gillespie is refurbishing and
furnishing a 12-unit property in the city's West End in order to
provide temporary accommodations for Syrian refugees.
"Some can volunteer time, donate money.… We're in the property business, so it seemed an obvious place to start."
Gillespie, just this week named No. 1 on Vancouver magazine's Power 50 list, called the Immigrant Services Society offering a minimum commitment of four months' use.
"I don't even think he finished his sentence before I said yes," the group's Chris Friesen told CBC News.
"Some of the dialogue you're hearing isn't particularly Canadian," he said, "I think a lot of people need to show some leadership and turn the conversation into a positive.
"We had a well-earned reputation for being good citizens. I think we lost some of that and have lost the concept of [us all] being immigrants. We are one of the most multicultural cities in the world."
Gillespie said we all have a responsibility to help, and that he hopes his company will be able to do more.
"And to those who might be fearful," he said, "grow up."
With files from Laura Lynch
Gillespie, founder of Westbank
Developments, has offered the building to the Immigrant Services
Society to be used as first-stop housing for refugees waiting for
permanent homes in B.C.
"For me, it started with what I'm best able to do," Gillespie told CBC News on Thursday."Some can volunteer time, donate money.… We're in the property business, so it seemed an obvious place to start."
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Gillespie, just this week named No. 1 on Vancouver magazine's Power 50 list, called the Immigrant Services Society offering a minimum commitment of four months' use.
"I don't even think he finished his sentence before I said yes," the group's Chris Friesen told CBC News.
Fearful? Grow up
Gillespie said he has been disappointed by some negative reactions over the arrival of the refugees."Some of the dialogue you're hearing isn't particularly Canadian," he said, "I think a lot of people need to show some leadership and turn the conversation into a positive.
"We had a well-earned reputation for being good citizens. I think we lost some of that and have lost the concept of [us all] being immigrants. We are one of the most multicultural cities in the world."
Gillespie said we all have a responsibility to help, and that he hopes his company will be able to do more.
"And to those who might be fearful," he said, "grow up."
Updated Nov 26 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Paul,
Thank
you for your email. Westbank has been over-whelmed by the out-pouring
of generosity and offers to assist us in welcoming Syrian refugees, to
our community.
If you wish to learn more or help out, please visit our website,
www.westbankcorp.com. We have set up a How to help section and a donation page.
Please
know that we are working with Immigrant Services Society of BC
(ISSofBC). All donations submitted to the Westbank Syrian Refugee
Initiative will be donated
directly to the Refugee Sponsorship Fund of the ISSofBC.
Thank you.
Hweely Lim
w e s t b a n k
501, 1067 West Cordova Street, Vancouver BC, Canada V6C 1C7
direct
604 893 1722 / main 604 685 8986 / fax 604 893 1708
direct
604 893 1722 / main 604 685 8986 / fax 604 893 1708
visit our new website,
www.westbankcorp.com
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