Photo by Emily Keller

By Emily Keller

City Hall

City to make offer on location for new daytime shelter

Nov 4, 2019 | 6:01 PM

The city is moving forward with a plan to make an offer on a lot that is currently for sale and plans to use the space as a daytime shelter.

Council passed the motion unanimously at Monday’s council meeting.

Chris Manuel, Protective & Social Services Director with the city, says the $1 million donated by the Rotary Club, meant for the creation of a daytime shelter, is what will fund this project.

“The facility, at that time, there was two options, frankly both adjacent to each other, as to where that facility was going to go. So, ultimately, what’s happening is we’re moving forward with an offer to purchase what is the existing Prime Property Management building.”

The Prime Property Management building currently stands across from Rotary House.

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He adds that the lack of controls and resources led to situations this late summer, specifically the encampments that popped up in front of Rotary House.

“The day has 24 hours in it, if there’s only a place for people that are street-engaged to be at night, which is what the Rotary House provides is the ‘at-night’ component, the emergency mats, there’s still 12 hours where people have to be. So, if we don’t provide a place for them to be that have the proper supports and stuff in place, they’re going to just naturally congregate.”

The proximity to Rotary House is also a reason the spot was chosen, says Manuel.

“It’s the best place for our service providers to connect with them, it also provides the ability to work very closely in conjunction with other amenities in that area such as the Rotary House, which, it’s going to be an NGO operating that facility. [It will] have city oversight, but it will be run by an NGO.”

An NGO is a non-governmental organization.

Manuel says that if the city is successful with purchasing the land, they will need to re-zone it, but expect it to be usable by February.