Saskatoon city council votes to move drop-in centre next to planned daycare

Saskatoon councillors approved the purchase of a permanent drop-in centre for the second time in less than four months, in spite of concerns from businesses.

The City of Saskatoon is purchasing a building slated to become a drop-in centre for the homeless for the second time in less than four months.

The two-bay building at 130 Idylwyld Drive is being bought by the city for $1.6 million, and will become a permanent drop-in centre for the homeless to access 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

“What we’re trying to do is provide locations where homeless people can go,” City Manager Jeff Jorgenson said at the outset of the topic.

Council voted 7-4 in favour of purchasing the building at its regular business meeting Wednesday, following more than three hours of debate.

Administration made it clear to differentiate a drop-in centre from a typical shelter. The new building is meant to provide a place for homeless people reprieve from the weather, use the washroom or shower and have a small bite to eat. No beds or overnight stays are provided.

That didn’t prevent multiple speakers from voicing concern over social disorder the centre could create in the area. Many say they’ve already dealt with the issue when the drop-in centre was temporarily located a few blocks away at the former Saskatchewan Transportation Company bus depot, next to a shelter on Pacific Avenue.

“The fear is real,” Tamara Bowman, who owns a business a block north of the drop-in centre, said. She spoke of being afraid for her all-female staff walking to their vehicles at night, and what could be waiting for her each time she parks at work.

“As a business owner, I pay the repairs, the cleanup, the insurance, the time, the distraction, the stress. It all adds up — and it’s exhausting."

Council also learned a 90-child daycare is planning to open just across the street on Wall Street. Multiple speakers mentioned the YWCA has spent more than $1 million to prepare the site for a spring opening. The YMCA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CTV News.

“The wrong location is not compassionate,” Bowman said.

Optometrist Kristine Wilkinson of Prairie Optometry bought her building with her husband last year. She said they invested in the building, located two doors away from the warm-up place, because of the city’s vision for Idylwyld and the downtown event and entertainment district.

Now she says they wouldn’t have bought if they knew this was coming, much less invested more than $100,000 in improvements. Now they’re considering selling.

“It raises broader concerns about protecting downtown’s long term fiscal strength and maintaining confidence in the plans that are communicated to us as investors,” she said.

Council forged ahead with the purchase after finalizing a purchase of a building on Avenue C for women to use. At that time, concerns were raised about concentrating social services in one area, with The Salvation Army’s shelter located next door.

The plan is for that shelter to close once the Idylwyld location is ready.

Shawna Nelson, the executive director of the Saskatoon Downtown Business Improvement District, said many businesses were blindsided learning of the potential purchase just days before the meeting. She said the tenant in the affected building was not notified.

“I just think it’s irresponsible,” Nelson said, criticizing the process and criteria.

“You come in at the 10th hour and you say, this is it all or nothing. I mean, I really feel for the councillors. They’re put in a position again.”

The city was forced to finalize its purchase by the end of March, when an agreement with Ottawa for federal funding expires. Despite years of efforts, some councillors said the process was an issue.

“These conversations make these things feel very rushed,” Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker said. “And these individual decisions are rushed.”

The city is slated to take control of one half of the drop-in centre on May 31. The other tenant can extend its lease until Sept. 31, 2028. The city says the 150-person capacity shelter can open in November following $350,000 of renovations.

Some councillors voiced concerns of the optics and safety of picking a location on Idylwyld Drive, which will be seen by many on the high-traffic street.

Ward 4 Coun. Troy Davies said he had concerns voiced about the YMCA located nearby on 22nd Street, which operates a 74-bed daycare, exceeding that of the Avenue C building. He voted against the purchase.

“This isn’t a funding decision for me. This is doing things for the right reasons,” he said.

Mayor Cynthia Block pleaded with her colleagues to approve the purchase, as the city searches for long-term answers to homelessness.

“There’s no question that is needed,” she said. “We don’t want drop-in centers. We don’t want to have to build any more shelters.”

Council also voted to study the impact of stopping future shelters, drop-in centres and similar services from being within 250 metres of licensed daycares.