A homeless shelter slated for an east Chatham neighborhood drew spirited opposition during the first public consultation held since council approved the plan last week.
There was a full house for Tuesday night’s meeting, hosted in Studio One of the Cultural Centre, with municipal staff fielding concerns about the emergency shelter set to be located in the former Victoria Park public school building at 185 Murray St.
No presentation was given as the night was strictly a question-and-answer format, with many people taking the municipality to task for a lack of input beforehand.
Residents were upset they had received no notice of the plan, only learning about the shelter idea from media reports a few days before it came to council March 21.
However, councilors decided not to defer and approved a staff recommendation to open the shelter on Murray Street, citing the quick turnaround to have a shelter in place since the lease on the current emergency shelter at the Travelodge expires May 31.
“This is putting the cart before the horse,” said Bill Cumming, who’s lived in the area more than 20 years.
“That’s not the way this process should’ve gone.”
Speaking after the meeting, Cumming said he has “a soft spot” for this cause, but believes council likely would have come to a different decision if the in-person consultation took place before the vote.
A fact sheet was handed out at the door stating the facility has space for 50 emergency beds, as well as program space for community agencies.
It would run 24-7 and is not billed as a free hostel, nor a drop-in centre, given there are requirements for those accessing the service to take part in programs to assist their transition to more long-term housing.
The municipality has a lease agreement with a group of local investors until May 31, 2025. The deal involves the municipality paying a nominal fee of $1 while being responsible for covering the cost of necessary renovations, insurance, utilities and maintenance.
It is expected the program will launch on or as close to June 1 as possible.
Polly Smith, Chatham-Kent’s director of employment and social services, said the shelter isn’t an ideal solution compared to a housing-first strategy.
“We will not be able to stay later. We’ve been told by the landlords, the owners of the building, that it is a three-year lease,” she said. “So, we’ll immediately be looking at other plans.
“There are affordable builds coming as well. Indwell’s looking at the community. So, we’re hoping to get more and more people housed to downsize the program.”
Smith said it’s a “real time of change” for the municipality with its facilities, given staff working from home and potential hybrid models in the future.
“We think there will be new opportunities where there’s spaces,” she said. “Because we will at some point be able to move to a hopefully smaller space, or close it entirely (and) move back to the motel model we’ve had in the past.”
Several councilors and other municipal staff were in attendance Tuesday, along with Chatham-Kent police, who provided information related to community safety.
Sgt. Doug Cowell said the police service is getting involved “right at the ground level” with respect to the plans and urged the public to continue to report any issues so they can be dealt with appropriately.
Marion Lucio, a 37-year resident of the neighborhood, was skeptical after the meeting, saying there wasn’t due diligence.
“They basically just provided lip service,” she said.
Lucio said she sympathizes with those facing homelessness and that they can’t be painted “with the same brush” as to their circumstances.
Faith Hale, executive director for the nearby Ska:Na Family Learning Centre, expressed her support for the shelter project, noting many homeless people are Indigenous.
“I ask you to be kind,” she told the gathering, adding that the organization also has board members residing in the area.
Tuesday’s meeting was livestreamed, with the replay available on the municipality’s Facebook page. Another public meeting is scheduled on April 6 for 6 pm, also in Studio One.