Construction appears to be underway for a new shelter in Yellowknife.
According to a request for tenders, the GNWT's Department of Infrastructure was looking for qualified contractors to build a new wellness recovery centre on 51 Street, at the site of what used to be the Yellowknife Daycare Association location and the adjacent lot.
Clark Builders was the successful contractor, having submitted an accepted bid of close to $23 million.
Construction is expected to be complete by 2026, which is well behind the original schedule. Construction was supposed to begin in the fall of 2022 with things being "substantially completed" by late 2023. An environmental cleanup has already happened at the site.
The shelter is designed to accommodate 99 people, including staff and clients. It is also meant to come with 30 beds and 59 seats, according to the Department of Health and Social Services' website. Once it's open, it will be operated by the NWT Health and Social Services Authority.
Yellowknifer contacted the GNWT for comment, to which a staff member replied with a link to the territorial government's website, where related details could be found.
Klaus Schoenne, who owns Tru Hardware across the street from the shelter location, wasn't available for comment on Tuesday, but he told Yellowknifer back in 2021 that he had no idea the lot was being turned into a shelter.
SA国际影视传媒淎s soon as I heard rumours about that centre, I put the shop up for sale," he said at the time. "You know what happens at the sobering centre (on 50 Street). The people sit everywhere and leave garbage and waste. Someone was killed there. There are constant fights and arguments and the ambulances come. I canSA国际影视传媒檛 put my customers through that or my staff through that."
But the co-founder of Barren Ground Coffee, Eric Binion, told Yellowknifer at the same time that he supported the idea.
"We are pleased that it will be downtown. We view it as positive. This is an important service that is needed,SA国际影视传媒� Binion was quoted as saying, who added that he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 share SchoenneSA国际影视传媒檚 concerns about possible disorderly behaviour from wellness centre clients.
