Downtown shelter facing opposition over location

The temporary day time shelter is operated by McMan Community Services and was put in place as part of an emergency response to help the vulnerable during COVID-19.

Because it was deemed an emergency by the province, McMan Community Services said they had just days to find a place to operate.

“We checked out numerous properties in and around the area, and this one was the best one that provided the amount of room we needed to make sure people are doing correct social distancing and limiting the spread of COVID-19,” Kevin Dornian, programs manager of McMan Community Services said.

But now the incidents along with a few others has prompted the CCDA to file an appeal to the development permit issued by the City of Medicine Hat.

“During the time of COVID-19, our downtown businesses are suffering. Just like everybody else, they are counting their pennies, they are not sure of their future, and to put another social service in the downtown that affects their business is very, very difficult for them,” CCDA chair Jeremy Silver said.

“ I would like to be clear that not all of the downtown business owners feel this way. There are some that understand that people need help this is a very hard time, it is set up to get people through the lockdown. We understand that. We don’t object to it being downtown, the CCDA simply objects to the specific location they picked,” Silver said, noting the CCDA was not consulted prior to the shelter opening.

The facility operates daily from 8 a.m. to 7p.m. and helps provide the vulnerable a place to stay warm, when the overnight shelter is closed. Security is onsite to mitigate the impacts of loitering at neighbouring businesses.

Since the facility opened, an average of 27 participants per day receive services, from employment, mental health, housing, and addictions treatment

“ Since we started we made eight referrals to the Medicine Hat Housing Society, we had seven people connect with addictions and mental health, and we actually helped transport a participant to Lethbridge yesterday to start treatment there,” said Dornian

As for some of the push-back the facility has received from nearby businesses, Dorian said he understands where the community is coming from, but the facility is meant to bridge a gap in services that is occurring due to the pandemic.

He also noted the vulnerable at the facility regularly show their appreciation for the downtown core.

“The vulnerable are helping us do street cleanups, and picking up stuff and they are really trying to show the community how much they care about the community, and I think oftentimes there are a lot of issues downtown, but for the most part a lot of the people who are accessing here downtown have nothing but great things to say about the downtown core and are wanting to help,” he said.

As for downtown business owner Bryan De Jong, he would like to see the city make changes to how the city issues permits, especially for facilities that may impact neighbouring homes and businesses.

The discretionary use permit for the facility is listed as a community centre, something De Jong said is ‘a stretch’ given the issues that have come along with it.

“I would hope that the city would use their wisdom on letting something like this go through especially in a business rich area like third street,” he said.

The City of Medicine Hat confirmed they have received the appeal for the shelter permit but they were unable to provide any additional comment.

by Tiffany Goodwein

Downtown shelter facing opposition over location

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