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Red Deer’s Safe Harbour temporary shelter gets conditional development permit

From 24/7 security to better fencing, a long list of requirements was adopted
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The Safe Harbour homeless shelter received a conditional development permit on Monday. (File photo by Advocate staff)

A conditional development permit for the Safe Harbour temporary homeless shelter was approved by Red Deer city council on Monday — with some councillors stressing the need to change the status quo for the better.

The shelter is allowed to continue operations at the former Cannery Row bingo location until May of 2025. But conditions were attached to its development permit to try to mitigate some of the negative impacts to the downtown and Railyards neighbourhood.

Conditions include the need for Safe Harbour to repair or reinstate to original condition any public property — including street furniture, curbing, boulevard landscaping and tree planting — owned by the City of Red Deer, which is damaged by site operations.

The not-for-profit must also replace part of the existing metal fence along the east courtyard, with an eight-foot high, non-climbable mini-mesh steel screen.

Council debated whether to continue to require the fence — which cost Safe Harbour about $60,000 to install and a further $30,000 to repeatedly repair after being cut by homeless clients, who wanted to maintain a direct way to get to soup kitchens in the downtown.

Safe Harbour’s executive-director Kath Hoffman told council that some clients don’t want to circumnavigate the building to get to their food services, but want to take the most direct route. This means walking through a cut hole in the fence to the adjacent parking lot — right in front of businesses that have complained of endless vagrant foot traffic, social disorder, and vandalism.

Cindy Jefferies suggested money for fence repair would be better spent on hiring more security officers. But the majority on council didn’t want to drop the fence, which was rated a high priority in a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) report.

Coun. Lawrence Lee said there’s a need not to accept the status quo, but to keep working towards a better solution for the surrounding neighbourhood.

In the end, the improved fencing requirement was maintained, but council opted to continue discussions with Safe Harbour on seeking better options.

Safe Harbour was also ordered to install signage and onsite rules and expectations, to define boundaries and provide direction to site visitors. Bear-proof garbage receptacles must be installed throughout the north courtyard area. And a better solution must be sought for the storage of personal belongings. This includes a possible relocation of the existing sea-can to prevent unsightliness in the courtyards.

Safe Harbour must also provide 24/7 on-site security of the outdoor gathering area, including maintaining a monitored security system and review gaps in coverage.

The operator must also come up with a plan to address weapons that are carried by some of the clients.

And Safe Harbour was also ordered to maintain its own site, including multiple daily outside inspections and cleanup of the parking lot, grassy areas, and courtyard.

When Hoffman was asked by council what would make the biggest difference to improving the situation for downtown businesses, she replied having more money for more frequent garbage clean-up and the addition of a second social diversion team.

City council resolved to bring both items up for consideration during the 2024 budgeting process.