Prince Albert’s temporary homeless shelter is set to close at the end of April due to concerns about overcrowding, air flow, and proper ventilation.
The YWCA originally opened the Stepping Stones Shelter under the Exhibition Ground grandstands as a temporary winter shelter. The organization expanded it to a year-round permanent shelter in 2023.
On Monday, YWCA CEO Donna Brooks said the current setup was no longer sustainable due to health concerns.
“We’ve been talking about this for a while,” Brooks said in an interview. “We were hoping to have a permanent place by now, but … that’s taken a little longer than we thought. The condition is such that we can no longer safely operate out of the current location underneath the grandstand.”
Brooks said the space is too overcrowded, leading to poor air quality and health conditions. The YWCA is working with the City on a new temporary location. Brooks said possible spots include the Dave Steuart Arena, but nothing has been finalized.
The City of Prince Albert would need to approve any new location. Key considerations include a large open area, showers, a kitchen, and proper ventilation.
“It’s in the discussion stages, but there’s a number of options around the City,” Brooks said. “Of course, the Steuart Arena has been mentioned because it’s turnkey. It is very easy for us to move in there, and it’s big enough that it would provide adequate air flow.
“There’s maybe some locations that are big enough and have showers downtown that might work, but again it’s all up to the City because we don’t have the say to approve a permit.”
If a new location isn’t approved before May 1, Brooks said the YWCA will continue to offer all the drop-in supports at Stepping Stones except for a bed. That means clients will still be connected to services, but will still have to search for a place to sleep.
Brooks said that could mean an increase in the number of homeless encampments that pop up around Prince Albert.
“It definitely is an urgent issue in the City,” she said. “If we don’t have a place there will be probably a large increase in encampments and in people on the streets. We hope that the City is able to nail down somewhere that we can use. I do know they’re trying. I know City administration is looking.”
Stepping Stones is a 45-bed enhanced, low-barrier, 24/7 homeless shelter. The City of Prince Albert has been notified of the closure, according to a YWCA press release.
