Taylor Willsey of Eagle's Nest Youth Ranch makes a presentation at North Battleford council's meeting Monday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

In The Chambers

Eagle’s Nest Youth Ranch approved to open new youth group home in North Battleford

Dec 11, 2019 | 1:20 PM

Eagle’s Nest Youth Ranch has received the go ahead to open a new group home for youth in North Battleford.

City lawmakers gave their approval for a discretionary land-use application for the residential care facility at its meeting Monday for the location at 731-101 St.

Taylor Willsey of Eagle’s Nest Youth Ranch related in his request to council the non-profit organization identified the proposed location for the site since it was the right size, with room for six youths in care to have their own bedrooms, and a separate room for an office suitable for staff.

“All the space and everything about the house is great,” he said.

Willsey said there would be 24-hour supervision of the home, which would house vulnerable youth from the area.

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“For the most part we would like to keep the youth in their community, closer to their families,” he said.

The city notified property owners within a 75-metre radius of the proposed site previously, and did not receive any objections to the application.

City administration recommended council approve the application for the residential care facility.

Junior Planner Brett Kitchen noted in his report Eagle’s Nest “has other group homes in the Battlefords which have been successful to date.”

If the organization were to open a four-bedroom group care home it would not have to make a request to council as the development is already permitted for the area zoning. Since it planned for a six-bedroom facility instead, it required council’s approval first.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow