A vacant school in Chatham’s east end could become the new location of an emergency shelter to serve the homeless after an original plan to use an existing downtown shelter drew opposition from local businesses.
A vacant school in Chatham’s east end could become the new site of an emergency homeless shelter after an original plan to use an existing downtown space drew opposition from local businesses.
A report on Monday’s council agenda is recommending the municipality enter a lease agreement with a group of local investors to provide emergency shelter services at 185 Murray St., which many longtime residents will recognize as the former Victoria Park public school.
The recommendation includes the municipality paying a nominal rent of $1, but covering the costs of necessary improvements, insurance, utilities and maintenance on an annual basis up to May 31, 2025.
It’s also recommended that up to $100,000 from the economic downturn reserves, already approved in this year’s municipal budget, be used to for necessary renovations to meet building and fire codes to operate a shelter.
Staff initially recommended the Chatham Hope Haven shelter facility in downtown Chatham be used to provide emergency services since the lease at the Travelodge motel, where the service is currently provided, is slated to expire on May 31.
A report with this recommendation was on the council agenda for its March 8 meeting, but several local businesses raised concerns about existing issues, including drug use and vandalism, they said they were encountering with homeless people in the downtown.
Council agreed during that meeting to defer the matter to give staff more time to find a solution when it was revealed other potential remedies had been brought forward by community members.
Andrew Thiel, who owns a marketing company in downtown Chatham, also began an online petition before the March 8 meeting that called on council to reject expanding the existing shelter.
He believes the proposed new location “definitely makes more sense because there’s room for 70 beds there versus the 27 beds that were going to be downtown.”
Thiel said a lot of people who signed the petition have indicated an interest in making a donation to provide support for this potential new site.
He believes this latest development is a benefit for the vulnerable homeless population in the community.
Chatham County. Michael Bondy suggests the old Victoria Park school as a potential location for the emergency shelter during the March 8 meeting.
He added he’s been talking about that site for months.
“I did say I always thought the former Victoria Park school was a great location (and) now here we are,” Bondy said.
Before seeing the report was part of Monday’s council agenda, Bondy said he didn’t have any idea the former school was going to be proposed as the new site by staff.
“I’m very happy to see this proposed location. I think it’s a good fit,” the councilor said.
The biggest issue when it comes to an emergency shelter, he noted, was location.
He said the Murray Street site is in a residential area, but outside of the downtown core and not in the middle of nowhere.
He added there is plenty of green space with the grounds around the school to provide separation from neighbours.
A person at the former school on Friday morning, who identified himself as a caretaker who occasionally comes to the building to check on it, said the property remains in good shape.