Hiy̓ám̓ Housing’s next development, a 203-unit building on North Vancouver’s Orwell Street, will provide homes for almost 500 Sḵwx̱wú7mesh People. It will be built on land where the Ch’ích’élxwi7kw village once stood. To honour that rich history, and in partnership with the Nation’s Paháyikwup (Language Commission), Hiy̓ám̓ chose the name Sheykwáw̓txw, or Clam House.
The name recognizes the abundant clam beaches that provided nourishment for generations of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh People and honours the memory of the Ch’ích’élxwi7kw Community. These Ancestors were prosperous because their Land was so close to shore and was so bountiful with marine life that when the tide went out their ‘table was set’.
On April 28, a Ground Blessing ceremony was held for the land, an important milestone rooted in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh history, culture and protocols. Invited guests included Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Elders, Nexwsxwníw̓ntm ta Úxwumixw (Council), and project partners.
Hiy̓ám̓ Housing’s Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Silva, said they were excited to receive a name reflecting our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Peoples’ rich tradition of clam cultivation and consumption. “Sheykwáw̓txw will not just be a place to return home it will encourage intergenerational living, culture, language, and connection to our territory.”
Located next to Phibbs Exchange and the Seymour Reserve, Sheykwáw̓txw’s design includes three six-storey buildings positioned to create a sheltered, sunlit landscaped courtyard. There will be a mix of home types, from studio up to three-bedroom apartments as well as a few four-bedroom townhouses.
Construction is set to begin this summer and projected to take two and half years to complete. With this timeline, it will be about two years before tenant applications for Sheykwáw̓txw’ are available.
Housing is consistently identified as Sḵwx̱wú7mesh People’s number one priority. In 2019 Council created Hiy̓ám̓ ta Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Housing Society, the not-for-profit organization responsible for building and managing affordable housing for Squamish People. Hiy̓ám̓ means “to return home or to come home” and echoes the Nation’s goal of housing every Squamish Person within a generation (25 years).
To learn more about Clam House visit, https://hiyamhousing.com/news/