Saskatoon city council proceeded with plans to acquire a former restaurant as a warming center near the Salvation Army Crossroads shelter, despite objections from Major Gordon Taylor. Taylor raised concerns about concentrating too many similar services in one area based on his past experience in Winnipeg. The decision to purchase the building at 325 Avenue C South was supported by the city council, with only Coun. Senos Timon voting against it due to safety concerns expressed by families in the Riversdale neighborhood.
The city’s director of planning and development, Lesley Anderson, explained that after an extensive two-year search for a suitable warming space location, only the building on Avenue C South met the criteria. Property owners are generally reluctant to lease buildings for such purposes, Anderson added, indicating that the city is still exploring additional options.
Coun. Robert Pearce, who opposed a previous homeless shelter establishment, expressed his support for the warming center purchase to prevent potential winter-related tragedies. The funding for the $805,000 acquisition comes from a federal grant, with an additional $200,000 expected from the federal government for necessary renovations. The city plans to lease the building to the provincial government, which will sublease it to an operating agency for the warming space.
Despite concerns raised by local businesses and residents about the impact on the community, the city council approved the purchase and renovation plans. The opening of the warming space is projected for the end of November. Daryl Brown, a long-time Riversdale business owner, criticized the lack of consultation and accused city hall of undermining the efforts to revitalize the neighborhood.
In a related development, the city council also endorsed the affordable housing strategy and supported the idea of establishing a centralized hub for homeless services within the city.
