NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE Spencer Schutte and Alison Jacques, homeowners on the Southeast Hill, are concerned that the food bank and public school division will enter into an agreement to construct a 35,000 square-foot facility in their neighbourhood without seeking approval from those who will be most impacted.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Some homeowners on the Southeast Hill fear the food bank and the public school division will enter into an agreement to locate a 35,000 square-foot facility in their community without giving neighbours any say.
“It is not acceptable to not consult with neighbours about the location,” said Spencer Schutte, a homeowner in the vicinity of the Ecole Les Cypres school building, 945 First Ave. SE. located next to Central Park, that is being considered as a location.
Although Celina Symmonds, executive director of the Medicine Hat & District Food Bank, has stated there are numerous sites being considered, none have been made public.
About a week ago Mark Davidson, superintendent for Medicine Hat Public School Division, said the board had entered into a partnership with the food bank to explore the creation of a “community hub.”
Schutte and Alison Jacques were among a group that requested and were granted a meeting with Symmonds and Davidson.
They say the architectural drawings they were shown are impressive but could not help noticing that they are specifically for 945 First Ave. SE.
“We were alarmed to see it,” said Schutte.
Symmonds would not confirm that the architectural drawings feature the school but said the food bank did not have architectural drawings done for every location considered.
“To do that would be excessive cost,” said Symmonds, who did not want to comment on the drawing shown during the meeting depicting the school location.
“I can’t confirm that … It’s a private document,” said Symmonds.
Symmonds told the News on Aug. 13 that “once we’ve decided on a location we would consult the community about that location.”
In an interview on Wednesday she said a consultation will take place “before” a decision is made on location.
“Absolutely. If I’m involved, absolutely,” said Symmonds.
How the neighbourhood chosen would be involved in consultation is not clearly defined yet. Symmonds says they need the community to be onside but stopped short of saying it would include a neighbourhood vote with the will of the majority taken into account.
“I wouldn’t want to say that because at the end of the day that just causes divisiveness in the neighbourhood,” said Symmonds. “At the end of the day I would be willing to knock on doors to make sure people are OK with it. This isn’t a secret project. This isn’t a secret agenda.”
Schutte says an “independent” risk assessment needs to be done and revealed before any decision is made on a location.
After that, he says, a public meeting should be called to present the concept in full. That should be followed with a vote by property owners and residents in the neighbourhood affected.
“That’s the ultimate democracy,” said Schutte.
Jacques says after searching online it seems having the food bank located in a “hub” in the middle of a residential neighbourhood is a unique experiment.
The food bank plans to build a 35,000 square-foot “Community Food and Wellness Centre” that would include a place to prepare the brown bag lunch program and kitchens where people can prepare, cook food and even learn to cook. There will be gardens, a greenhouse and outdoor cooking facilities, too. Anyone could come for a meal and pay what they can. The project is estimated to cost $8.5 million in terms of initial capital investment.
Schutte questions how many people living on the Southeast Hill need these services.
He feels those who need the service of a food bank deserve to have it located where it is most convenient for them.
The actual food bank will be a small part of the planned building but the whole concept is inline with its mission statement that includes food sustainability, said Symmonds. Leaving the food bank where it is currently is not feasible because of the age of the building.
“It is a good location I agree, but the operational realities are we don’t have government funding so at the end of the day we can’t run two buildings operationally with the current donations that we’re receiving,” said Symmonds.
There is no truth to the rumour that the community hub could include a supervised consumption site.
“No. It is not in any plan or concept,” said Symmonds.
Potential for change on the Southeast Hill
Schutte notes the issues earlier this summer with homeless people camping in tents in close proximity to where the food bank is located now.
He says homeowners on the Southeast Hill have chosen to buy their properties because of the location where there is park. There are concerns Central Park would become an ideal place for squatters using the food bank.
“If it (the hub) does fail who suffers? It would be the neighbourhood,” said Jacques.
Other concerns are increased traffic including semis making deliveries.
There has not been full disclosure about all the services that will be offered in the hub.
How the school division is involved
Davidson says a community hub could provide learning opportunities for students who do not do as well in a traditional environment.
Alberta education owns the building and it will be demolished after the French school moves to its new location. At that stage the land would be returned to the school division.
Conflict of interest
Symmonds, in addition to being executive director for the food bank, is also a trustee of the school division.
A presentation to the school division was made by the food bank “in camera” some months ago.
Davidson says Symmonds has not been involved at all and has not been present for any discussions relative to anything, any partnership, this one or others, between Medicine Hat Public School Division and Medicine Hat Food Bank.
The hub is more than a food bank
Symmonds says there is no doubt the plans are well beyond the original concept of a food bank providing food for those in need. The food bank isn’t enough anymore to address generational poverty.
Timeline
Davidson says there is no timeline for the partnership to explore the options because it would partly depend on who the other partners are.
