City of Saskatoon proposes changes to downtown shelter site plan
The City of Saskatoon is proposing changes to the proposed downtown shelter site plan following feedback from nearby residents and businesses.
The new site for the proposed 30 to 40-bed temporary shelter on Pacific Avenue was announced earlier this month and faced opposition from residents and businesses nearby due to safety concerns.
The city says details of the plan were finalized on Friday.
If approved by council on Wednesday, city administration says it would put up a chain link fence around the property at 210 Pacific Avenue.
The facility would only be accessible from Ontario Avenue and security would also work extended hours seven days a week, focusing on the area around the proposed shelter.
The city says the Mustard Seed will work with Saskatoon police and fire services to address emerging concerns and be proactive before they happen.
On Sept. 6, the city announced that a former Saskatchewan Transportation Company building located at 210 Pacific Avenue was identified as a potential temporary site for an enhanced emergency shelter.
The city-owned property will undergo renovations to accommodate about 30 to 40 beds.
The last shelter location the city identified, a former fire hall in Sutherland, was later spiked by councillors in the wake of mass protests by residents, aided by a small but vocal contingent of Fairhaven residents who believe the shelter in their neighbourhood has caused a surge in crime, although police stats contradict their claims.
In Sutherland, the dispute came to a head with a February city council motion limiting the criteria for the selection of a shelter site — barring one from being opened within 250 metres of an elementary school. With the motion passed, the fire hall’s proximity to the Bishop Filevich Elementary School meant it could not proceed in Sutherland.
The province, which has committed up to $250,000 for renovations to open the facility, will lease the building and provide operational funding, while Alberta-based non-profit the Mustard Seed will operate the service.
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