Temporary homeless shelter to move from downtown

Council first voted 6-3 to extend the site exemption by one year through March 31, 2022.

Some councillors suggested that should the shelter close, rough sleeper camps would proliferate once again throughout the city.

Sensing an overall desire to have the shelter relocated, Mayor Tara Veer swayed council to shorten the exemption to two months.

“Giving them two months at least prevents immediate closure which would occur within two days, but also allows us as a city some time to explore alternative locations,” Veer stated. “I was astounded and very frustrated by some of the public comments we received, but I think we have to be cautious not to invite or inflame other problems in the community.”

Councillor Tanya Handley described some of the public feedback as “extremely mortifying.”

“We can’t continue to sacrifice the businesses in the area for the sake of compassion,” said Handley.

The City of Red Deer surveyed landowners within 100 metres of the shelter and received 25 written submissions and two phone calls. Concerns focused on crime, human waste and customer and employee safety at nearby businesses.

“We have had to start locking the main entrance door to our location and have to let each individual customer into the store and lock the door behind them,” one respondent wrote. “This is no way to have to operate a business.”

“On what planet would anyone think this is downtown revitalization which the City has promised businesses in the downtown core?” asked another.

“By enlarging capacity for more clients, you are not helping those homeless addicts who truly want to recover, leaving them so close and vulnerable to the known downtown locations of the dealers who prey on them, allowing too easy access,” suggested Dr. Glen Chabaylo with 52^nd Street Dental Clinic.

Councillor Vesna Higham called the current shelter location “inappropriate,” saying the trials and tribulations faced by area businesses have been “staggering.”

“Over the past year in particular, since this temporary use was approved, it’s been simply untenable,” she said. “While the intent is justified and restrictions remain in place, there will be consequences and it’s clear to me we need a different plan. It’s heart-wrenching. The area has deteriorated dramatically.

Higham said a vote to keep the shelter at its current location “effectually betrays the very business community we committed to support with the promise of revitalization and renewal in Railyards.”

City staff noted there are other potential shelter sites that could be explored, but none have been as of yet.

“Housing, shelter and addictions are the primary responsibility of the province, and once again we find ourselves trying to accommodate a basic human right delivered in a superb fashion by Safe Harbour,” Councillor Ken Johnston said.

“We must hold the province’s feet to the fire here,” he added. “Our service community has an expectation, our business community has an expectation, and our vulnerable people need space.”

Councillor Dianne Wyntjes said waiting even one more day for the province to get its act together is unacceptable.

“We can’t let this perpetuate,” she said. “The province must put their money where their mouth is and help us deal with a problem we’ve been talking about for years. I’m tired of it.”

Once a new shelter site is identified, it will return to council for another public hearing process if proper zoning is not already in place.

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Temporary homeless shelter to move from downtown

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