'We're looking at the city to really step it up': Consultations on Regina permanent shelter underway
The old Eagles Club on Halifax Street will be turned into a shelter set to open this July
Public consultations on Regina's planned permanent shelter are underway.
The shelter is set to open this July at 1600 Halifax St, the site of the old Eagles Club. It will be operated by Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services (RTSIS).
The City of Regina is hosting seven small, focus group style meetings. Invites have been sent to anyone within a 250-metre radius of the permanent emergency shelter, according to the city.
The first consultation was held on Wednesday and was successful, according to Taya Triffo, the city's community mobilization co-ordinator.
"The main thing is that we're going out to businesses as well as local service providers and really trying to get a sense more broadly of what those community concerns are and what the community feels like they need in order to feel heard along the process as we bring in the shelter," Triffo said in an interview on Wednesday.
So far, the city has heard repeated requests for better lighting around the shelter and more opportunities for organizations to collaborate, Trifo said.
Topics at the sessions include the shelter's design, community engagement plans and safety priorities.
More sessions are planned for next week. Trifo said the discussions and feedback will inform the city's next steps.
The shelter proposal received harsh feedback when unveiled to the public in September of last year.
City officials were required to keep the potential location of the shelter private until an agreement to purchase the location was in place.
That outraged nearby business and home owners, who decried the lack of consultation and the perceived negative affect the shelter would have on their lives.
Wendy Miller, executive director of the Heritage Community Association, told CBC's Morning Edition this week that many concerns remain, including the possiblity of graffiti or negative behaviour from the shelter's users.
Miller was adamant there is a need for the shelter. She's also hopeful this will lighten the load for community-based organization's like hers.
"I feel that this actually will shed some light on the community, and we're looking at the city to really step it up with being proactive instead of reactive," Miller said.
Construction necessary
Work is required for the building to be ready for its opening in July.
A request for proposals published by the City of Regina on the province's tender website details an extensive renovation plan.
Some parts of the building and its infrastructure will need to be upgraded and city is also planning to construct a 2,000 square foot addition.
The shelter will not be adding to the city's shelter capacity. It's meant to function as a like-for-like replacement for the 55-bed temporary emergency shelter operating at the Nest Health Centre.
The new property was purchased for $2.6 million and renovations are expected to cost approximately $3 million.
The federal government has provided $3 million for the project, while another $3 million will come from the provincial government in the form of a loan that is forgivable after 10 years. That means no additional monetary contributions are required from the city.
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With files from The Morning Edition