The existing homeless shelter is located at 962-102nd St. BATC is looking to relocate the site to 971-104th St. (File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Discretionary use application

City tables BATC proposal to move homeless shelter to 104th Street

Jan 31, 2022 | 4:12 PM

The City of North Battleford tabled Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Inc. (BATC) request for a discretionary use application for a proposed homeless shelter at 971-104th St. to replace the existing site.

City Corporate Services director Jennifer Niesink said during the recent council meeting the applicants, BATC, asked to “put a hold on” their presentation on the matter at the present time.

As a result, council tabled the item until it is brought back to a future meeting, either by administration or the proponents.

In her submitted letter to the city, former BATC Director of Operations Alexis Christensen stated BATC, which operates the Miwasin Kikinaw homeless shelter, will see its tenancy at the current location end on March 31.

BATC expressed an interest to buy the existing building at 962-102nd St. but it did not hear back from the Lighthouse administration yet. BATC took over operations of the facility in October 2021.

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Christensen indicated the current site has issues with accessibility and requires more renovations. So BATC is looking at the option of building its own homeless shelter at 104th Street in North Battleford instead.

“We would like to purchase the lot at the north side of our Atoskewin Success Centre… and build on to our existing building,” she stated. “The plan would be to build a dormitory for sleeping and showering. We have program space and an industrial kitchen in our current building. This will save costs.”

The city’s public notice sent to property owners within a 75-metre radius of the proposed new location received about 150 letters from people opposed, with many citing concerns about community safety and potential vandalism related to having an emergency shelter in their neighbourhood. Some expressed concerns that there are many families and seniors living in the area. They were also issues that there is a daycare across the parking lot from the site.

The city also received two petitions from area residents and business people against the application, one with 123 signatures.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow