The City of Medicine Hat is asking residents for suggestions on a suitable location for a permanent emergency homeless shelter.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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After the Mustard Seed withdrew its application to rezone 2055 Saamis Drive NW for use as a permanent emergency shelter following numerous concerns about its location on the outskirts of town, the city is seeking input from residents.
In an article published Thursday, city staff are encouraging residents to visit its “Community Shelters” webpage link and leave a suggestion for a location you think would be suitable for a new emergency shelter.
“The City of Medicine Hat and the Mustard Seed are open to suggestions from community members on where to locate this important community service,” reads the city’s Community Shelters webpage.
Staff say they have had several inquiries and have seen residents suggesting locations for a permanent shelter on social media and want to gather as much information and feedback from the community before moving forward.
The city says before any site selection can occur, staff must review if the site is city-owned land or real estate and can meet the Mustard Seed’s needs for operation. The Mustard Seed must also agree upon the selected site.
The site may also need to be rezoned, which would require a separate vote from council.
All re-zonings have a requirement for a statutory public hearing, and once rezoned, the Mustard Seed would be required to apply for a development permit.
In August the Mustard Seed was approved for a 180-day operation permit extension to continue its community kitchen along Allowance Avenue to ensure it would remain in operation through to the new year.
However, as winter approaches, the city remains with no long-term plan for a permanent shelter in place.
