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Council supports downtown businesses in opposing temporary day shelter

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The GNWT will present a list of possible day shelter locations following the rejected proposal to use the city-owned Mine Rescue building. NNSL file photo

Editor's Note: In an earlier version of this story, it was incorrectly stated that council was split on this issue at an Aug. 10 meeting.  They had deferred the issue to the Aug. 17 governance and priorities committee meeting. 

Council joined members of the downtown business community to oppose plans by the GNWT to lease the city-owned Mine Rescue Building for a temporary day shelter, Monday.

The issue isn't planned for a vote at next week's regular council meeting as all of council came out against the idea and stopped the issue from moving forward.

Council heard last week that the now vacant 49 Avenue building, which had been leased to the Side Door youth drop-in centre up to April for 20 years, was of interest to the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services for a temporary day shelter during the winter months up to March 31, 2021. The location had been intended to provide basic services to the downtown's vulnerable street population in addition to the day shelter and sobering centre already operating at 5111 50 Street.

Sandra Stirling, co-owner of Overlander Sports in Yellowknife, is one of the signatories to letters from businesses this week opposing a proposed temporary day shelter at the next door neighbour Mine Rescue Building. 
NNSL file photo

GNWT health department officials said that there needs to be additional space found, at least for the near-future, because there is a 20-person capacity at the day shelter due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The GNWT also worries about the need for warm shelter during the coming winter months and more protection needed in the event of a second wave of the pandemic.

Councillors expressed concern about the spread of ongoing disturbances that have been documented at the day shelter and sobering centre in recent months.

Prominent downtown businesses  were consulted last week by the city and came out in opposition to the proposal during Monday's noon-hour meeting.

The city-owned Mine Rescue Building, located at the corner of 49 Avenue and 50 Street, was formerly the Side Door youth drop-in centre. The GNWT had been proposing to use the building for temporary day shelter to help the vulnerable street population in the city. Council and down businesses opposed the idea on Monday. 
NNSL file photo

Sandra Stirling, co-owner of Overlander Sports - which is located next to the Mine Rescue Building- had been among numerous downtown business owners who opposed the proposal in letters to the city. 

Many cited their years of service and commitment to the downtown as well as the need to keep their employees safe from harm.

"Locating a facility such as this, catering to the demographic that is experiencing homelessness and addictions, does not suit this location for the safety of our property, staff and clientele," wrote Bill and Sandra Stirling.

Terry Hartwright, general manager of the Black Knight Pub, was just as adamant that he believes it is a bad idea and added that it would bring bad behaviour from the street population to his area of the downtown core. He noted that the "existing day shelter has a well documented amount of public indecency, drunkenness, public aggressive behaviour, threats of harm and assaults."

"We believe that small businesses in our neighbourhood will suffer and jobs will be lost if the City of Yellowknife permits a day shelter at this location," he wrote.

Jeannie Rocher, a downtown landlord, said that businesses have had a hard time during Covid-19 and that the proposed location is just asking small downtown businesses to "take another hit, and to add one more unknown to our already heavy load."

Coun. Stacie Smith strongly opposed the idea for a temporary day shelter at the Mine Rescue Building. She said that the GNWT has to do better in coming up with permanent solutions to help the street population that doesn't put at risk small business and downtown revitalization efforts. 
NNSL file photo

"I completely disagree with putting the shelter in the former Side Door building," she writes, adding that more resources do need to be put toward the homeless population.

"I ask that you do not think of this proposed land use as a solution to an immediate problem, but also consider the consequences of what this will do for the future of the business in the downtown core."

Although opposed council said they would be willing to work with the GNWT to find other options.

Some ideas that were pitched to health department officials  included seeking amendments to the day shelter capacity if masks were to be worn by clients. Other ideas included the GNWT looking into using explorer style tent structures - as are constructed by Discovery Mines on the barren lands - or using further investigation of other sites.

City councillor Stacie Smith pointed out that the council has a commitment to carry through with downtown revitalization efforts and blasted the territorial government for coming up "band-aid" solutions for the street population when more permanent ones are needed.

"I am disappointed with my GNWT colleagues that we are at the ninth hour here and this location is supposed to help us get through winter," she said. "Homelessness, social issues, addictions, these are not new concepts. It has been here since I was a kid, but it has only grown and gotten bigger and become more of an issue.

"The city is constantly being given a raw deal by the GNWT which says 'We need this facility please give it to us.' We often fall for promises of grandeur when it comes to solving these problems but they still persist."

Coun. Niels Konge had a similar position in that he didn't see an improved plan from the GNWT that he was comfortable in supporting.

"I’m at a solid hard-no on the Mine Rescue or former Side Door," he said. "I feel I can’t be proposed to come off that stance."

NNSL Media submitted questions to the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services Monday afternoon on what their future plans are for the temporary shelter.