A public info session was held by metropolis Coun. Darren Hill on Sunday to debate the brand new emergency shelter being positioned in one in all Saskatoon’s residential neighbourhoods.
Residents lined the partitions of a faculty fitness center to voice their issues surrounding the 30-bed emergency shelter deliberate for the previous fireplace station within the Sutherland space of Saskatoon, run by the Mustard Seed.
Victoria Tremblay runs a personal daycare on 108th Street in Sutherland, blocks from the shelter location, and mentioned she is aware of she received’t really feel secure bringing the children exterior as soon as the shelter is operational.
The metropolis mentioned in January {that a} non permanent shelter may be anticipated within the spring at 421 Central Ave. for as much as 18 months.
“I’m concerned with the addictions,” Tremblay mentioned. “With the paraphernalia that goes along with it, the robberies that go along with it to pay for that paraphernalia to pay for those drugs.”
The shelter in Sutherland isn’t going to supply assist to people with complicated wants — the duty being undertaken by a fancy wants emergency shelter deliberate for Idylwyld Drive.
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Longtime Sutherland resident Chantelle Morrison mentioned notes ought to be taken from the Emergency Wellness Centre within the Fairhaven neighbourhood that opened in 2022.
“In Fairhaven, the people that run it have done their very best and stepped up to help the homeless population and a growing population … but this is a very short-sighted solution to place this in a residential area just a few feet from an elementary school.”
Fairhaven residents have held public protests and fought in opposition to metropolis council because the shelter’s implementation, saying crime has spiked within the neighbourhood.
“I think we are just setting ourselves up for failure and I’m just not sure there is any solution that is going to come of it,” Morrison mentioned.
She mentioned the town wants to carry the provincial authorities accountable.
“Ask for something more,” Morrison mentioned. “Ask for something that is going to make a difference, connect people to care and put them in the right space that can do that.”
Two metropolis conferences, one digital and one in individual, will probably be held within the coming months to debate the shelter, based on Hill. One of the conferences was initially scheduled for Feb. 28 however was cancelled.
“This has just been mishandled right from day one,” Hill mentioned.
Residents expressed frustration that most of the metropolis conferences concerning the shelter had been accomplished off digicam and never open to the general public however Hill mentioned he can’t breach confidentiality by disclosing the assembly content material with out being topic to a Code of Conduct cost.
“It’s wrong,” Hill mentioned. “It’s absolutely wrong. These should be held in public — they are of significant concern to the entire community.”
He mentioned that earlier than the conferences, he’ll spend his time lobbying fellow council members to talk in opposition to the situation.
The metropolis has a bylaw in place for the situation of licensed grownup providers, requiring companies to be positioned 160 metres from faculties, playgrounds, residential areas and leisure services. Hill mentioned the identical bylaw ought to be mandated for shelters.
“That also ensures that they can be positioned in areas where there is good, safe transit, well-lit streets and that has worked.”
He additionally really useful the empty lot beside the town police station as an appropriate location.
“The shelter beds are desperately needed. They are just not needed in this location.”
— with recordsdata from Global News’ Brody Langager
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Sutherland residents voice feelings of isolation surrounding Saskatoon shelter decisions
