Daryl Brown hopes to pass on his alternator repair business in Riversdale to his son after operating it for 33 years. However, he expresses concerns about the growing presence of social service agencies in the area and the associated challenges.
Brown intends to address the city council on Wednesday to raise his apprehensions as the council prepares to decide on allocating $805,000 to purchase a former restaurant on 325 Avenue C South for conversion into a warming center for homeless individuals.
Expressing his worries in an interview on Tuesday, Brown emphasized the inundation of well-intentioned social programs in Riversdale, which he believes are exacerbating existing issues in the community. As the owner of Phoenix Starter Alternator Repair, he was taken aback upon learning about the city’s plan to acquire property in the vicinity.
Having observed changes in the area over recent years, including the presence of tents on sidewalks and damaged windows, Brown recognizes the evolving landscape of Riversdale. The building on Avenue C features a distinctive multi-colored façade with the signage “Ambarsari Kitchen Indian Cuisine,” situated north of the Salvation Army Crossroads shelter and near the Riversdale business district.
Funded by the federal government, the purchase of the property and subsequent renovations, estimated at around $200,000, are expected to facilitate the establishment of the warming center. The opening date may be delayed until late November due to the renovation process.
If approved, the provincial government will engage an agency to manage the warming center. Acknowledging potential challenges of situating the center near an existing shelter, a security and safety plan involving the province, the managing agency, the Salvation Army, and city resources will be devised, according to a city report.
Local businesses, unaware of the plan until contacted by CBC on Tuesday, have not received direct communication regarding the initiative. Paul Lee, co-owner of the Mandarin Restaurant adjacent to the proposed center, supports aiding vulnerable individuals in need of shelter but stresses the importance of a comprehensive strategy to address homelessness effectively.
Last year, two warming locations in Saskatoon served a total of 2,526 individuals, as indicated in the city report. The Salvation Army ran an overnight warming center at St. Mary’s Parish in the Pleasant Hill neighborhood and is expected to operate it again this winter.
The Indian and Metis Friendship Centre also provided overnight shelter to men and women at its Wall Street site downtown. The agency tasked with running the warming center has yet to be identified, with plans for the province to lease the building from the city and sub-lease it to the chosen entity.
Premier Scott Moe and Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block announced $3 million in annual provincial funding for drop-in homeless services during a recent news conference. The city has arranged to purchase the property from 101026881 Saskatchewan Ltd., citing a lack of suitable available buildings due to property owners’ reluctance to lease facilities for purposes like a warming center.
Most of the structure was erected in the 1970s, with a small portion dating back to the early 1900s, the report notes. The city report further highlights the spike in homeless encampments in Saskatoon, prompting concerns from the opposition NDP.