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Red Deer city council proposes fourth site for homeless shelter

Mayor hopes the provinical election won’t cause too much of a delay
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Red Deer city council is hoping to be fourth-time lucky by submitting a new proposed site for a permanent homeless shelter to the province.

Mayor Ken Johnston called it a “very good site” on Thursday. Although he couldn’t reveal details about the location, he’s confident it will be acceptable to the province and will also well-serve shelter clients and the community at large.

Johnston said “I don’t like living in a closed world” by withholding information from the public, but he added this is a matter of respecting the privacy around land negotiations.

He plans to get this latest proposal to Edmonton as soon as possible.

The mayor hopes the decision-making process will not be held up too much by the May 29 election, but Johnston said, “I’m a realist” so he sees a potential for delay.

Three previous sites that city council had selected for the permanent homeless shelter were rejected for various reasons.

The first proposed shelter site near the Taylor Bridge by the Red Deer River, was unpopular with local businesses, so city council pledged in January of 2022 to back to the drawing board.

The second proposed site in North Red Deer was rejected by the province last fall. It was considered inappropriate because of its proximity to other services.

Then, in February, Johnston announced that a deal could not be reached for the purchase of the third site in southwest Red Deer when the owner was unwilling to sell the land for a shelter project.

With 104 potential properties to weigh and consider, Mayor Ken Johnston called it “an exhaustive process.”

But he believes city council is on the right track with this latest site, which fits the five main criteria, including availability, size, impacts to surrounding area, and access to services and supports.

The city has been seeking a site for a permanent shelter since a memorandum of understanding was signed with the provincial government in November 2020 for the provisions of integrated 24/7 services to local people experiencing homelessness.

In February 2020, the government pledged $7 million for the permanent shelter, which would replace the temporary shelter at the former Cannery Row Bingo.

While the location of this fourth potential site, selected by council, can’t be revealed until the province ratifies the choice and the land is purchased, Johnston said citizens will get a full accounting of the site selection process in a report to be released in June.