Daily Herald Contributor
YWCA CEO Donna Brooks said organization has a property at 420-18th Street West and they’re ready to turn it into a permanent location for a new homeless shelter.
Brooks stated this at a community forum with the West Flat residents, city administrators, and a few members of council at City Hall Thursday evening.
“The property acquired in this area is bigger and more spacious than the other shelters with a 24 hour service for people experiencing homelessness, with support for mental health, addictions, and other presenting issues,” she said.
Brooks said the facility would have 24 hours surveillance security patrolling the property, along with security cameras.
“YWCA is here empowering individuals, families and communities to achieve overall wellbeing of everyone and that’s why we need this permanent location,” she added.
Residents present pointed out their displeasure in citing such a location for a homeless shelter. Some residents said the area is too busy, and is more of a residential area of local seniors.
“This is going to be more disastrous and at a security risk to we the seniors in the area,” said one attendee. “We already had about five beak-ins to our apartment in the last 32 years of our stay in the area.”
Residents were also concerned about the bushes on the surrounding property, which some worry will end up being a den for homeless people who may not want to stay at the shelter.
Brooks said the impression community member have about shelter is wrong. She said too many believe it is meant for gang members, and drug dealers, but that’s not who will be using the shelter.
Brooks added that the YWCA does have a second possible location for the shelter. However, that location is in the city’s downtown, and has drawn criticism from local businesses.
The Saskatchewan government has agreed to fund the shelter, Brooks said, so there is no better time to get the location than now.
Some attendees suggested asking the Community Development Advisory Board to meet frequently to discuss and table their demands before the council and YWCA Board.
Some also suggested residents should write an official letter and send a representative to the next council meeting before the municipal election campaign begins.
Couns. Tony Head, Terra Lennox-Zepp, Dawn KiImer, Daren Solomon, and Blake Edwards were all in attendance for the community forum. They all promised to look into the contributions, and suggestions from community member and seek a possible solution.
Lennox-Zepp is the councillor representing the area. She is not running again in the next election.
