So many people are needing a safe haven from abuse that the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter needs to expand its Red Deer facility.
Acting executive-director Rayann Toner said the 40-bed shelter is running at capacity every day, with a list of mostly women and children waiting to get in.
Just from mid-May 15 to August, the shelter staff saw 91 non-repeat clients, she added.
Since the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter is outgrowing its space in downtown Red Deer, an addition is needed. Toner said, “We’re exploring our options… we’re very much at the conceptual stage.”
That means there’s no fixed idea yet about how many more rooms should be added, she said, or whether the centre needs to expand beyond its own property boundaries, or what the cost or time frame will be.
But the City of Red Deer was already approached by Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter representatives with questions about the possibility of expanding onto the city-owned property north of its site.
The treed property, which contains an old scouting cabin, is designated as environmental preserve under the land use bylaw. City council was told this A2 designation signifies environmentally sensitive land.
The city’s planning manager Tara Lodewyk explained a creek and small ravine run along one side of the property and this part of the land wouldn’t be suitable for any kind of development.
However, CAWES was more interested in the portion that fronts 47th Avenue and which now includes the vintage scouting cabin. Representatives from the shelter board did not specify exactly where their project would land on this property, said Lodewyk.
City Council recommended administration bring back an amendment to the land use bylaw for council’s consideration.
The size of the city-owned parcel that could be recommend for rezoning will be determined by how much of the land is deemed suitable for development, said Lodewyk.
However, if council considers approving any kind of rezoning, the matter must go to a public hearing.
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