’It’s morally improper’: Slave Lake reacts to homeless shelter closure

Article content material

SLAVE LAKE, Alta. — On the finish of a facet road in Slave Lake, Alta., Lynn Bowes appears to be like at a gray job-site trailer with boarded-up home windows and doorways that when operated as her city’s solely homeless shelter.

As soon as housing upwards of 20 folks, it now sits empty behind overgrown grass and chain-link fence within the city of almost 7,000 folks northwest of Edmonton. City council halted operations in Might to sluggish a perceived spike in crime that residents stated stemmed from the house.

Article content material

Three months later, councillors voted it’s closed for good, citing continued security issues.

“Thank God,” Bowes stated. “So many individuals are so blissful.”

Bowes, a member of Residents On Patrol, stated residents have reported reduce fences, tents on sidewalks, drug abuse, verbal threats and trespassing close to faculties and different non-public property — together with an RV resort the place Bowes owns so much.

“There have been folks that have been having stuff taken from their campers,” she stated.

These petty crimes haven’t occurred as a lot with the shelter’s closure and elevated patrols by a personal safety agency employed by the city, she stated.

Nonetheless, figures present Slave Lake’s crime price didn’t change after the shelter closed, stated Slave Lake RCMP Sgt. Casey Bruyns. The one notable change is a slight uptick in suspicious particular person calls, he stated.

A number of city councillors, like Steven Adams, say it’s “morally improper” to not supply shelter.

However others, together with Mayor Francesca Ward, say the city isn’t able to operating the house, citing a scarcity of helps for homeless folks scuffling with psychological well being and addictions.

Article content material

Article content material

“We went into it with the most effective intentions, however I’m prepared to confess that it didn’t work,” Ward informed councillors in August.

In an e mail, Ward stated previous iterations of the shelter noticed teams scramble to discover a house earlier than winter. The city had hoped it may discover a everlasting house that was correctly funded and had “regulatory stability.”

In November, Slave Lake obtained $900,000 from the province to function the short-term trailer year-round. With the closure, any unspent cash can be returned, she stated.

Bruyns, who sits on a social points committee with the province and the city, stated there’s an urge for food to get homeless residents correct assist, however what that appears like stays a wild card.

“I’ve handled the homeless inhabitants for the 9 years I’ve been right here,” he stated. “It’s a number of the identical folks and (the city) is dwelling for them.”

Ward stated she’s not against one thing like an emergency winter shelter, however it needs to be run by one other group.

‘What’s going to occur this winter?’

Barb Courtorielle is hoping an answer comes earlier than the snow flies.

She ran an out-of-the-cold program for 5 winters on the Slave Lake Native Friendship Centre, the place she works as govt director. Funding points and dwindling donations meant this system needed to shut down.

Article content material

With the centre’s program, she stated folks obtained heat meals, clear garments and mats to sleep on. In change, they’d carry in groceries and donations and assist weed the backyard.

“I’ve been taking care of the homeless since 2017,” she stated. “By no means as soon as did I really feel I used to be going to be harmed.”

Courtorielle stated those that drop by the friendship centre are like household; many even name her Mother. Centre employees take time to attach with the homeless — one thing she felt was lacking from the city’s shelter house.

She typically volunteered on the shelter and felt it was mismanaged by overly strict employees.

There was just one bathe. Meals was microwaved. Folks have been bored, she stated. It pressured many to make their method to the friendship centre.

“We nonetheless have them,” stated Courtorielle. “They’ve by no means left.”

She believes a lot of the city’s crime is blamed on the homeless. There are one or two dangerous apples, she stated, however most are good folks.

A lady Courtorielle helped get off the streets is finding out to be a carpenter. Some who have been helped by the friendship centre at the moment are donating again.

“It’s good when you might have these (success) tales,” stated Courtorielle.

Some aren’t so fortunate. Since 2018, she stated 21 homeless Slave Lakers have died, together with a couple of who froze to loss of life.

She stated she doesn’t know what the reply is, however she hopes no matter answer involves city can be run by individuals who perceive the best way to work with the homeless.

“What’s going to occur this winter?” stated Courtorielle. “I’m scared to consider what’s going to occur.”

Article content material