Downtown day shelter to close
Operator does not want to renew contract; building slated for demolition, says executive director
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, March 5, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The fate of the most popular refuge for Yellowknife's homeless population does not look promising.
Peter Menacho, left, and Floyd Tetso share a moment before heading outside yesterday afternoon. The future of the day shelter remains uncertain now that the contract with its John Howard Society administrator is expiring. - Daniel Campbell/NNSL photo |
According to a written statement from the premier's office, Health Minister Glen Abernethy has instructed his department to find a way to keep the downtown day shelter on 52 Street open until the end of May "to ensure the shelter is available to vulnerable NWT residents during the remaining cold weather" after the John Howard Society contractor indicated in writing that it does not want to renew its contract when it expires on March 31.
A request for proposals seeking a new contractor will go out for tender in September in an attempt to have a day shelter open for next winter, according to the statement.
Lydia Bardak, the society's executive director, did not comment on why it wasn't seeking to renew its contract. However, she pointed out that Bromley and Sons, which is the landlord for the property, has indicated that it plans to demolish the building.
Representatives with Bromley and Sons could not be reached for comment by press time.
"We've been working with everyone to see what the next step is," said Bardak.
One thing appears to be certain, no day shelter will be operating between the months of May and September.
Dayle Hernblad, who works with the city's homelessness coalition, said someone would have to step up to fill in the gap left by the John Howard Society.
"I couldn't even guess who would have the capacity to deal with it," she said.
The shelter - currently funded by several partners, including the GNWT and the city - has continually struggled to find adequate funding since it opened four years ago.
On Tuesday, Mayor Mark Heyck reaffirmed that $50,000, which was allocated for the shelter in the city's 2014 budget would be available so long as there was a day shelter in operation.
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, who has been an outspoken critic of the shelter's management, said the John Howard Society had been "underfunded and under-supported from the beginning."
"They were put in a difficult spot from the beginning," he said.
Hawkins said he hoped a change in management and a new operating model would provide the opportunity for a better service for the city's homeless.
That, however, remains little consolation to those who have depended on the shelter for the past four years.
"It's a good place to go have a snack, watch movies and listen to the radio," said Shirley-Ann Modeste, a regular patron of the shelter.
"If they close it down, it's going to be hard for all of us."
- with files from Daniel Campbell
