Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 11/05) - If all goes according to plan, a three-way land swap will translate into space for a single men's homeless shelter at the edge of downtown.

Lydia Bardak, co-chair of the Yellowknife Homeless Coalition, says the city's old firehall on 46th Street is a perfect location for a homeless shelter. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

The plan calls for swapping the old firehall site on 46th Street, owned by developer Les Rocher for a 4,700 square metre tract on Old Airport Road owned by the territorial government.

The Yellowknife Homeless Coalition would replace the old firehall with a three-storey, 30-bed transition home for single men.

The deal will be a straight-up trade with no money exchanging hands. The territorial government has already okayed the transfer.

During Monday's municipal services committee meeting, Dave Devana, the city's director of corporate services, told city council that the Old Airport land next to the government warehouse is worth about $1.8 million.

City council was largely in favour of the transfer. It will go to a vote next Monday.

Lydia Bardak, co-chair of the homeless coalition, said the fire hall location is ideal because it sits right behind the Salvation Army, which will probably manage the home.

"That's what makes it work," said Bardak. "The Salvation Army is already in the business of sheltering single men."

Bardak said the Salvation Army is not equipped to house men other than on an emergency basis, although many have resided there for months, sleeping on bunks or on mats on the floor.

The idea is to provide longer term housing so men, whether they are coming in from the emergency shelter next door, jail or from off the streets, will have a place to go to get back on their feet.

Bardak said the second floor of the building will house up to 24 men in their own basic bed-and-closet rooms with shared bathrooms and a kitchen. If they succeed in homeless coalition-provided courses ranging from learning how to cook to keeping a budget, they can move to a self-contained unit with a kitchen built in.

The hope after that is that the men will eventually be able to go out and get homes on their own.

"If they can progress and move on into the self-contained units they have a chance there again to try and manage their money, manage their accommodations," said Bardak.

"It may be anywhere between one and three years just to be able to get that person solidly out there."

Last summer, the homeless coalition received $1.2 million from the federal government towards building the home.

Gerry Cheezie, the coalition's other chair, said he isn't sure how much the shelter will cost, but more money must be raised in the community.

"We'll know the true cost of the facility once we know what the building will look like," said Cheezie.

"Right now, we know it's going to be a three-storey building. Other than that, we don't have any firm costs."

Cheezie said it's important the community gets behind the project.

"It's a community problem," he said. "The community has got to step up to the plate along with the business community."

As for Rocher, he said he is fine with the deal although he doesn't know what he will do with the government parcel yet. He is using the firehall for storage.

"I haven't figured it out yet," said Rocher.