The fate of a proposed new homeless shelter in Squamish now lies in officials’ hands.
On Tuesday (June 10), a wave of supporters attended a municipal public hearing to back Squamish Helping Hands Society’s bid to relocate the sleeping portion of its programming from its downtown facility to a house on Wilson Crescent.
While the organization is operating transitional housing at the purpose-built residence formerly known as Iris Place, the location needs to be rezoned to allow the emergency shelter portion of the facility to move in.
“We want to eradicate homelessness in Squamish,” Helping Hands executive director Maureen Mackell told District of Squamish council. “To do this, we must get people out of super survival mode.”
That means getting people off mats on the concrete floor of a repurposed fire hall and into beds, she said. The shelter on Third Avenue doesn’t have separate sleeping quarters or bathrooms for men and women, Mackell added. The new facility would provide both and free up space for daytime programming in the current shelter, she said.
“Women in particular don’t feel safe coming to a grand hall and sleeping with a bunch of men,” Mackell said, adding only a few facilities in B.C. still rely on mats.
Mackell said she understands that some Wilson Crescent residents have concerns about their new neighbours. But she told council the facility and its clients won’t stand out. The building and operations won’t be open during the day and the house will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“I think we are going to mix well,” she said.
Not everyone at the public meeting was putting out the welcome mat. Neighbours who opposed the project are not against the services Helping Hands provides, but don’t think the shelter is a good fit in the residential neighbourhood, Rick King said.
“This project just does not fit in this neighbourhood,” the Wilson Crescent resident reiterated.
The intent of the municipality’s Official Community Plan (OCP) is to provide a framework to stop projects that would upset community character and existing neighbourhoods from being indiscriminately plunked around town, King said. But despite most residents in the area surrounding the proposed shelter being against the project, the proposal has been pushed forward, he said, noting it was residents who informed the district that the rezoning was required in the first place.
“To us, it appears no one is listening,” King said.
Approving the project sets a dangerous precedent, he warned. If a project generates enough support, then any group could place anything in any neighbourhood, King said.
With the public hearing closed, the final decision lies in council’s hands. At press time a date for third and final reading had not been set.
