Municipal and territorial governments have a tough job ahead of them in finding a suitable space for a homeless shelter, says a Yellowknife real estate investor.
Robert Warburton, owner of real estate investment company CloudWorks, said the root of the problem with securing shelter space in Yellowknife comes down to the difficulty of matching specific criteria with what is available.
From WarburtonSA国际影视传媒檚 point of view, the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 approach was too narrow last year when it was seeking space for a temporary shelter and before it settled on the Mine Rescue Building.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey reached out to several people including myself,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey wanted something that was perfect and cheap. They had a tight budget, they had very specific requirements. What they wanted versus what the market could provide wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 doable, so now theySA国际影视传媒檙e looking again. They seem more flexible now, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 still quite a hard use to find space for (shelters). ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a tough one to crack.SA国际影视传媒�
The city is inviting bids to build or renovate a 20-bed, 10-room space for the homeless. The municipality is prepared to spend more than $800,000 in federal money from the Reaching Home SA国际影视传媒� CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Strategy to End Homelessness fund for the project. Bids close on Aug. 16.
RELATED REPORTING: Bids open to build new Yellowknife homeless shelter
The GNWT is also seeking bids for a temporary day shelter in Yellowknife before winter arrives. The territorial government said it had looked at more than 30 sites in Yellowknife but the locations had environmental remediation issues, didnSA国际影视传媒檛 meet program needs or were close to neighbours who opposed a shelter. Bids for the temporary shelter will be accepted until Aug. 20.
RELATED REPORTING: GNWT seeking space for temporary homeless shelter in Yellowknife
The territorial government used the Mine Rescue Building on 49 Avenue as a day shelter during the winter until its term of use ended on May 31.
The GNWT received city approval for a permit to use Aspen Apartments on 51 Street as a temporary shelter but that was blocked by an appeal in June.
RELATED REPORTING: Latest temporary homeless shelter on hold due to appeal
While those apartments are unavailable, meals, washroom and shower facilities will be provided to the street-involved population at the NWT Disabilities Council-operated day shelter and at the Salvation Army, said Department of Health and Social Services (HSS) spokesperson Umesh Sutendra.
Proposed shelter bid faces outcry
The GNWT is also making efforts to secure a more permanent shelter space in the form of the proposed $6-million Wellness and Recovery Centre that it wants to build in an empty, government-owned lot on 51 Street, but some neighbours have spoken out against it.
RELATED REPORTING: Business owner balks at proposed downtown wellness centre
The total area required for the facility is 1,123 square metres, HSS said in the tender document.
The government aims to have the project bid awarded by Sept. 3, 2021, with construction starting in fall 2022 and being SA国际影视传媒渟ubstantially completedSA国际影视传媒� by late 2023.
Existing shelter spaces in the city include the day and sobering centre on 50 Street; the Yellowknife WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Society (YWS); Centre for Northern Families; the YWS-operated Arnica Inn, which provides space and support for about 30 people who are at high risk of COVID-19-related complications; and the overnight shelter for men at the Salvation Army.
Specific criteria, limited spaces
Commercial space in Yellowknife is limited and the sites that might be a good fit for a shelter are occupied. There are few stand-alone and accessible sites.
In addition, a shelter is best accommodated in a retail-style SA国际影视传媒渨alk-in, walk-outSA国际影视传媒� building, Warburton said. Not only are those in short supply in Yellowknife but they raise other issues.
SA国际影视传媒淒oes a landlord want that use in their space? Will you lose your other tenants because another tenant is a shelter?SA国际影视传媒� he wondered.
Push-back inevitable
Asked where would be a good location for a shelter, Warburton laughed and said he doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 know.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is the problem with this kind of use SA国际影视传媒� no one wants this as a neighbour. The push back youSA国际影视传媒檙e hearing (about the wellness centre), you would hear that from anywhere in the city. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know where that physical space would be in Yellowknife. ISA国际影视传媒檓 excited that theySA国际影视传媒檙e building a long-term facility, but I think wherever they go they would have this issue.
SA国际影视传媒淲ith the wellness centre, the GNWT has the land already. Is it a perfect spot? No. But I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know where they could go. Shelters are difficult to build anywhere. It makes financial sense to put it on 51 Street, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 a tough one,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪omething like this has to be a specific place. You canSA国际影视传媒檛 just go build in the sandpits.SA国际影视传媒�
