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Tenants left waiting for Bailey House completion

Herb Mathisen
Northern News Services
Published Friday, January 16, 2009

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - At its grand opening last month, Bailey House was packed to the brim with Yellowknifers celebrating the opening of the long-awaited building for the men who will soon call the transitional facility home.

NNSL Photo/Graphic

Ravan Bedingfield, co-ordinator of the Bailey House, opens the door to the transitional home for men in early December. Approved tenants at the home will have to wait a little longer before they can move into the Bailey House, however, as the Salvation Army waits for work to be completed on the building so the city can hand it over to them. - NNSL file photo

Nearly a month later, the rooms are empty as the Salvation Army waits for last-minute fixes and for the city to transfer over ownership the building.

Organizers at the grand opening on Dec. 12 said they were hopeful Bailey House would be handed over to the Salvation Army by late December after a security system - and other minor construction - was complete. to would move in just after the new year.

However, the same delays are still preventing the building from opening.

Bailey House co-ordinator Ravan Bedingfield said the security system and the front door locks are not yet installed. She said the Salvation Army, which is taking over ownership and operation of the building, has to wait until the building is fully completed before they can move tenants in.

"We're really hoping that by February, at the latest, we'll have people moved in, but it all depends on when the work will be done," she said.

"Until we take ownership, nobody is allowed in the building other than us, for insurance purposes."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem, however, said the Salvation Army has an occupancy agreement and said they could start moving tenants in.

"It's their choice," he said.

Land title agreements still needed to be worked out, the mayor added, along with transferral of utility services.

He said things like Donny Days (mandatory unpaid days off for GNWT employees between Christmas and New Year's) have pushed back the property transfer process.

Other little issues have also caused delays.

"During the process, one of the lawyers got sick for a couple days," he said.

On Thursday, Bedingfield said she hadn't heard that the occupancy agreement was completed. She said even if it was, Bailey House still couldn't move in tenants because the buzzer system and door locks were not yet installed. The house will operate a strict visitors' policy and to monitor who comes in and out of the building.

Bedingfield said some of Bailey House's approved residents are frustrated, but many have been able to come up with accommodations until the building opens.

She said staff have taken the time to set up offices in Bailey House, and case workers are busy developing programs such as alcohol relapse and Crackbusters.

Van Tighem said the grand opening held in December was more of a celebration to spur intent to open the building than an actual opening.

"It was a motivational grand opening," he said.

Bailey House still has eight rooms left for tenants, said Bedingfield, who remained optimistic and excited about the opening of the home.