City of Medicine Hat grants The Mustard Seed permission to continue ‘ghost kitchen’

The organization’s CEO James Gardiner argued for an indefinite permit so that he would not have to return again to advocate for an extension.

“My ask is that you approve it without an expiry date,” Gardiner said.

Despite his request, commission members did not propose an amendment and instead approved a 120-day permit proposed by city staff.

Commission members Coun. Shila Sharps and Ian Parkinson were the only two who voted against the approval but did not state their reasoning.

Gardiner insisted he wasn’t disappointed with the commission’s decision not to deliberate his ask, saying instead the permit approval gives The Mustard Seed much-needed stability.

“It gives us security of operations to be able to feed the people that we’re serving for the next four months, so we’re thankful for that,” he told reporters.

Four residents spoke out against The Mustard Seed during the MPC meeting, raising concerns over what they say is an increase in illegal activity by the shelter.

Deardre Cannon, a resident often critical of The Mustard Seed, said incidents of violence have increased at the emergency shelter site in the South Flats neighbourhood.

“I was attacked a month ago, I had to defend myself,” Cannon told the commission meeting. She said a man slept underneath her 15-year-old daughter’s window outside her house.

Another resident, who only identified himself as Jason, said he was attacked with an axe near the shelter.

McGrogan repeatedly pointed out the scope of the commission’s decision on Wednesday was only to consider the status of the kitchen at 503A Allowance Ave. S.E.

Three of the residents acknowledged The Mustard Seed’s staff have been working hard to limit the impact of those who use the organization’s services at Eighth Street.

Not every resident in the council chamber Wednesday was there to criticize the organization.

Robert Palmer, who was a vocal critic of The Mustard Seed’s operations at Allowance Avenue, said he’s seen a major improvement in the neighbourhood.

“It’s the quietest 60 days that I have seen in four years, and I live kitty-corner to it,” Palmer told reporters after the commission meeting.

“It’s been good and I believe that most of the people that live around it now would be happy if it stayed that way, a ghost kitchen only.”

Palmer said his concern now is with how long it’s taking to find a new unified location for The Mustard Seed, an effort that started last year.

“It’s amazing that it’s taken eight months to find another location,” Palmer said.

The Mustard Seed is working with City of Medicine Hat planning staff, the Alberta government and the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society to find somewhere to call home for all its services.

While Gardiner told the commission he toured one of two shortlisted potential locations Wednesday morning, a final selection has not yet been made.

That leaves many of Medicine Hat’s most vulnerable people without somewhere to go to during the day, for now.

by Olivia Thorington

City of Medicine Hat grants The Mustard Seed permission to continue ‘ghost kitchen’

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