Home suite home Winnipegger who built shack by a creek settles into new apartment By: Tyler Searle Posted: 6:46 PM CST Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023

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This article was published 06/12/2023 (943 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Bill Pchajek stands near a south-facing window in his one-bedroom suite and tends to his newly planted vegetable seeds.

He moved into the apartment, in the Earl Grey neighbourhood, after living in a cardboard-insulated shack that he built near Empress Street less than a month ago.

Like everything in the apartment, the plants are new and have not yet begun to sprout, but he hopes a little love and a nurturing environment will help them along.

The symbolism is not lost on Pchajek. For him, the apartment is a step forward — a home from which he hopes a new beginning will bloom.

“I wish everyone could get the support I’ve had. I went from having almost nothing, living in a shack by a creek, to a fully furnished apartment. It just blows my mind, I don’t even know how to describe it,” Pchajek said, bending to give his dog, and longtime best friend Gabby, a pat on her head.

“There are people all over the city living outdoors, and January is coming. My position doesn’t feel nearly as bad as theirs.”

After health issues upended his job as a truck driver, Pchajek exhausted his savings in an effort to stay afloat, ultimately becoming stranded on Winnipeg streets this summer. He built a shack near Omand’s Creek on Empress Street in mid-November, which attracted the attention of neighbourhood residents, outreach organizations and city officials.

“I wish everyone could get the support I’ve had. I went from having almost nothing, living in a shack by a creek, to a fully furnished apartment. It just blows my mind.”–Bill Pchajek

On Nov. 17, less than a week after erecting the structure, support workers from St. Boniface Street Links secured housing for Pchajek.

It’s not perfect, he said, pointing to spots in the kitchen where roaches have crawled from holes in the floor. A mouse lives somewhere in the walls, and the hardwood near the doorway slants at a precipitous angle, leaving a large gap between the door frame.

It beats being on the street, and minor repairs — such as putting out traps and blocking the gap beneath the door — have kept him busy, he said.

His health has improved in recent weeks, thanks to multiple visits to the dentist and a consultation with one of Street Links’ occupational therapists. The 52-year-old has Type 1 diabetes and Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid and causes anxiety and fatigue.

He doubts he will be able to drive a truck again, but Street Links staff is helping him apply for disability compensation to relieve some of the financial strain, he said.

“All in all, Bill has received a really well-rounded slate of services, and he is lovely to work with,” said Marion Willis, Street Links’ executive director.

“I think William really feels like somebody who is not only noticed, but we really see him. He has a voice that is heard and I think he has realized there is a lot of people around him that really care and want to see him succeed in life. It’s really been heart-warming.”

“What I really hope that the city and the public can take from this is that the face of homelessness is not always the face we think it is.”–Marion Willis

People throughout the city have donated an assortment of goods to help get Pchajek settled, including food, exercise equipment, construction materials and cookware.

The support has been significant, and is evidence that Pchajek’s story resonates with others in Winnipeg, Willis said, adding his situation highlights gaps in how social resources in Winnipeg approach homelessness.

“What I really hope that the city and the public can take from this is that the face of homelessness is not always the face we think it is,” she said. “Homelessness isn’t always about addictions and poor mental health. For a lot of people who find themselves homeless, it’s just a calamity of circumstances that has them land where they land.”

Coun. Cindy Gilroy agreed with Willis, saying wrap-around services have been integral to Pchajek’s success.

In the weeks since he has been placed in the apartment, Gilroy has worked with the organization to find housing for another Winnipeg resident, she said.

“I have been so impressed with Street Links,” she said. “I’m really seeing why this is so critical, this way of connecting with individuals and providing them extra care. It has really opened my eyes to what I think governments need to do.”

Gilroy, who was instrumental in helping connect Pchajek with Street Links, spoke in favour of additional financial support for the organization, noting it does not receive funding from the provincial government or End Homelessness Winnipeg.

She encourages Winnipeg residents who wish to support the organization to donate money and goods, or volunteer.

End Homelessness Winnipeg’s latest street census found at least 1,256 people were homeless in Manitoba’s capital last year.

Manitoba Housing has 6,243 units in Winnipeg; 110 are vacant and 3,565 people are currently on a waiting list, a provincial spokesperson said last month.

Pchajek said he intends to remain in his apartment this winter as he works to get back on his feet.

In the future, he dreams of moving to a rural property, where he can start his own non-profit, build a large garden and grow fresh produce for Manitoba food banks.

In the meantime, he and Gabby will continue to settle into their new home, he said.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca