TJ News

John Howard Society to operate winter shelter

ALAN COCHRANE

Moncton city council has approved a plan for the John Howard Society, in conjunction with the province, to operate a homeless shelter at 473 St. George Street this winter.

At its regular meeting Monday night, council voted in favour of a plan adopted at a private meeting earlier in the day. Dan Brooks, executive director of the John Howard Society in Moncton, said they will start setting up the shelter immediately and expect to open it later this month, providing overnight shelter to approximately 60 people per night. He said the shelter will work in conjunction with other shelters to assist people.

The former Lions Community Centre building, which is owned by the city, was used as a shelter from December 2022, operated by the Humanity Project for Social Solutions, until June 2023. The Humanity Project stepped away and is now in the process of upgrading its own building on St. George Street, where they serve meals to several hundred people per day, and building small houses at its farm outside the city to provide housing and rehabilitation programs for people.

Brooks said the shelter will have services to help those with mental health and addiction issues, in co-operation with the Salvus Clinic, which is currently looking for a new home.

“It’s our hope that we can be operating 16 hours per day from Nov. 15 and then by Dec. 1 operating on a 24-hour basis,” Brooks said. “We want to be there to help people

in the community and not simply a space for homeless people.”

Council voted in favour of a oneyear lease agreement with the Province of New Brunswick, with options for renewal of up to two, 12-month terms.

“The building will be operated by the John Howard Society on behalf of the Department of Social Development, Province of New Brunswick and will serve as a resource centre hub and out-of-the-cold shelter for vulnerable citizens in our community,” the city said.

As the city reaffirmed that the former Lions Community Centre on St. George will be used again this winter as a shelter, members of the displaced seniors group are looking for help to find another permanent location and continue their programs.

A large group of people attended Monday’s council meeting as Winston Pearce and Joanne Richard, president and executive director of the Moncton Lions Community Centre on St. George Street, made a presentation about their vision for a centre that would serve seniors in the community.

The St. George Street centre opened in 1974 and continued for nearly 50 years. It was not a residence, but a place where they held regular gatherings, meetings and functions. But in December 2022, they had to move out as the centre was converted into a warming centre for the homeless population. It continued to be used into the spring and summer and is now empty.

When the seniors moved out, the city made a deal for them to go to 77 Foundry Street at a cost to the city of $379.325. In August, the city agreed to pay over $125,730 for a new model, which would allow the seniors to carry out their programs in different places. Pearce said they will be out of the space on Foundry Street at the end of the year and looking for a new location.

In other council business:

• Supt. Benoit Jolette, officer in charge of the Codiac Regional RCMP, said police are continuing their investigation into the discovery of Halloween candy that was tainted with an unknown substance in Moncton. He said the suspicious candy found in a child’s Halloween bag was tested to reveal an illegal substance.

“It’s our duty to make sure our children are safe,” he said, pledging that police would find the person responsible.

Jolette also said police worked with city bylaw officers and outreach organizations to dismantle a homeless camp where 50-60 people had been living. Coun. Shawn Crossman asked whether dismantling the camp resulted in more people going to shelters, but the answer wasn’t immediately available.

Jolette said the opening of a downtown community policing centre on Main Street has been delayed again until Nov. 14. The office, in a leased space, has been delayed several times because of construction issues. Jolette said RCMP continue to work with other police agencies on illegal drugs. There have been incidents where search warrants have resulted in the siezures of drugs, guns, cash and even high-end cars. In a recent case, police responded to a firearm call on Renfrew Street, where a gun was found in the middle of the street.

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2023-11-08T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-11-08T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://tjnews.pressreader.com/article/281925957727167

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