City council has declined city administration’s second proposed location for the Temporary Shelter Village Initiative.
They have instead opted to vote in favour of a wooded area beside the Salvation Army Journey For Life Centre.
The accepted alternative location was proposed by At-Large Councillor Mark Bentz from a list of sites proposed by administration, ranked using a scoring system.
The project is a temporary village that is seen as a safer alternative to unmanaged homeless encampments.
The village is going to offer temporary shelter and on-site support for people experiencing homelessness.
Administration advised council to choose 1111 Fort William Road as the location after a previously suggested location on Miles Street was declined.
City administration went back and looked through over 50 alternative locations across the city, leading to the new suggestion.
Ultimately council went in another direction.
“I think there are better places than beside a river for a supportive housing type scenario, especially two rivers, but beyond that, I think it’s in our retail hub or adjacent to our retail hub, it’s adjacent to a neighborhood, people are afraid of what could happen,” explained Bentz. “My interest is in the Salvation Army area, A) it’s not adjacent to neighborhoods B) There’s some support surrounding it, and there’s transit. I think there’s a park nearby for the people to use that are in the village.”
“I’m just saying I think in terms of what I’ve heard from the community and what my concerns are around the last recommended site being located in a south core that we were trying to revitalize, and now we’re looking at one near a retail hub that’s surrounded by rivers near neighborhoods,” added Bentz
“I just think that the Cumberland location would be a better option for the community. There’s transit there, there’s recreation, there’s services next door.”
The city has received over half of the funding, a total of $2,800,487, toward the capital cost of the village.
Full access to this funding is contingent on beginning construction within 120 days of the agreement’s signing (March 21) and completing construction of at least 80 units and ancillary structures by December 31.
Administration is also actively pursuing additional external funding opportunities to minimize the municipality’s financial contributions to the village.
Ongoing discussions are taking place with other levels of government and charitable organizations about securing additional funding sources.
Homesless encampments saw two significant fires over the winter, leading to serious injuries and a death, underscoring the need for the village.
The decision, approved at Committee of the Whole, still needs to be ratified at next Monday’s City Council meeting.
