Cranbrook City Council has voted to give a second reading and allow for a public hearing on a zoning amendment which will allow for a year-round homeless shelter to be built in the old Core Fitness building.
The proposal for the shelter location was brought forward by BC Housing, with a plan to renovate half of the building, which would take up 687 square meters.
According to council documents, the floor plan shows space for 49 beds, 10 for women and 39 for men, with a 151.6 square foot dining room separating them, along with separate men’s and women’s washrooms.
“Locating the shelter adjacent to Community Connections Society of Southeast BC’s Cranbrook Family Connection Hub is ideal,” said the building’s owner, Terry Segarty in a letter to the City. “There is a pressing need in our community to provide shelter for the most vulnerable and needy members of our society.”
The letter added that the local homeless population has increased by 117% in the past two years.
As noted in Segarty’s letter, the building is within walking distance of other essential services, such as the hospital, library, pharmacy, public transit and Western Financial Place.
When it came to voting to move forward, Council was split with a 4-3 decision in favour.
Mayor Lee Pratt was opposed to the first and second reading, saying the process should have involved the City more.
“I’m not against a homeless shelter, what I’m against is being railroaded into making a decision that does not necessarily have to be done right now. The thing is not going to be done until the spring. We’ve had some discussions with BC Housing,” said Pratt. “Now they realize they should have engaged the City, our staff, and then it would have come to council, too. We would have been engaged in some discussions as to where the best location for this homeless shelter is. At the end of the day, it may be where they’re proposing, but I just don’t feel comfortable being forced to make this decision without having time to explore all of the opportunities.”
Councilor Norma Blissett, however, voted to move the zoning amendment forward.
“I think we have a need, we have a number of people who are homeless in our community. I think it is important that we provide a place for them to be, so our business community and police don’t have to deal with this, so we have a place for people to go, so they can have their needs looked after. All of our citizens will benefit from this, so I’m in favor,” said Blissett.
If the process goes ahead, work on the shelter will begin in the spring of 2021.
A public hearing is scheduled for January 18th, 2021 at 6 p.m.
