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A vision seems to be shaping about the future of Kingsgate Mall in East Vancouver.

The redevelopment of the modest but cherished shopping centre will not likely be just for retail.

The renewal may also have a residential component that will serve both market and public housing purposes.

These include accommodations for vulnerable students and employees of the Vancouver school board, which owns the land on which the Kingsgate Mall sits on.

Estrellita Gonzalez, an education trustee with the Green Party of Vancouver, is in the forefront on what looks to be an unprecedented initiative by a school board.

“Nobody’s done this before,” Gonzalez told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview.

She noted that Kingsgate Mall has been a matter that has not been resolved by previous boards.

“I think with this board, there is an appetite to look at it and look at what can we do,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez has authored two motions regarding housing for the vulnerable students and employees, which have secured unanimous support by the board.

Under the Education Act, school boards can build housing for students and staff.

Because of its location and non-school use, the mall site at 370 East Broadway is a good candidate.

The shopping centre is owned and operated by the Beedie Group, which pays a lease to the school district.

According to Gonzalez, talk about the future of Kingsgate Mall needs to start with a conversation with the Beedie Group.

“It’s not a deal that works well for them, and it’s not a deal that really works for us anymore,” Gonzalez said. “It’s time to kind of look at this differently.”

The previous provincial government wanted the board to sell the property, and use the revenue for the district’s operating expenses.

The board at that time rejected the suggestion, and was subsequently fired in 2016. A by-election was called, and Gonzalez was one of those who were elected. She secured a fresh mandate from voters in the 2018 regular municipal elections.

“There is another party involved,” Gonzalez said about Kingsgate Mall, “so those negotiations have to happen, but I see that as a great joint venture with somebody to really harness the location.”

Green school trustee Estrellita Gonzalez says the current board recognizes the need to house vulnerable students.

In addition to the mall, Gonzalez said that the board may consider a second location to examine housing options for vulnerable students.

Gonzalez recalled that the idea for housing students started with the work being done for young parents by YWCA Metro Vancouver at two facilities at Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School.

One is Emma’s Early Learning and Child Care Centre, which takes care of kids of single moms who are trying to complete high school.

YWCA Metro Vancouver is also behind the Heron's Nest Education Centre for Young Parents, a program that provides education and life skills training.

“Now the one thing the district has is the land, and our board is looking at creative ways to be able to solve this kind of challenge because the way I see it,” Gonzalez said, “the role of the VSB is to graduate students.”

“And if we’re not able to do this for some because they’re housing insecure and there’s no parental figure in their lives,” the Green trustee continued, “then I really feel it’s the duty and responsibility of the VSB to step up and offer what it can, which is land.”