After hours of intense debate from both councillors and the public, the proposed temporary shelter for 210 Pacific Ave. has now been approved.
At Wednesday’s city council meeting, council voted in favour seven to four to approve an 18-month development permit.
Councillors Darren Hill, Troy Davies, Randy Donauer and Bev Dubois voted against.
The facility will be provincially funded with 30 to 40 beds.
And while the location might be set, the decision isn’t doing much to ease concerns about the location and safety of the shelter.
Wednesday’s city council meeting saw a variety of speakers and presentations sharing residents’ thoughts and concerns on the shelter.
Many were concerned with the safety surrounding the shelter, especially one surrounding business who works with vulnerable youth.
“We understand the need for an emergency shelter, and we sympathize, and we compassionately recognize those experiencing homelessness,” said Stephan Bourassa, the owner of Milestones Occupational Therapy for Children. “However, this location, 35 paces from a pediatric mental health and neurodevelopmental center is not appropriate for such a facility.
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“The proposed shelter’s proximity directly threatens this therapeutic environment (we have).”
Last week, the city revised its plans for the facility, including putting up a chain-link fence to only allow access via Ontario Avenue.
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“The perception of safety for our clients is established by surrounding the space with an eight-foot chain link fence. The psychological safety of every child entering and exiting our space is of paramount concern,” Bourassa said.
Other residents shared concerns that the project and the community consultation was rushed but the city is adamant that no steps were skipped during those processes.
“There was a perception that that this process was rushed,” Saskatoon city manager Jeff Jorgenson said. “We heard about a lack of consultation with the area residents and business and lack of due diligence on the city’s part.
“I agree that the public information session was an abbreviated process, but not by months. It was perhaps a week or two tighter than we’d have liked. But there were no steps missed.”
City council said they understand the concerns with the location of the shelter but reiterated that it looked for months for an appropriate location that fit the criteria, and the location on Pacific Avenue was the only location it could find.
The shelter could be open as early as January. City officials reiterated the shelter is a temporary solution, with no plans to keep the site permanently.