With a contingent of community members watching from a crowded Lac La Biche County council meeting room, councillors have voted to halt the re-zoning plans for a piece of land that was to house a new homeless camp and well-being facility.
At Tuesday's scheduled public hearing on the project, several community members spoke against the project's proposed site, a piece of land bordering the Alexander Hamilton Community Park on the eastern boundaries of the Lac La Biche hamlet. A smaller contingent of the residents spoke in favour of the location. All who did speak about the plan to create the facility on the municipal property did recognize the importance of programming to help the continuing homeless issue in the community.
It wasn't a unanimous decision, but council voted down the second and third readings of the re-zoning bylaw early in the afternoon.
The process will now go back a few steps to look at new locations or re-visit two or three other suggestions that have been part of an on-going process that has lasted, in its current version, for more than six years.
The issues of homelessness, vagrancy and social well-being have been part of the municipal discussion in the community for decades, In more recent years, a transitional housing task force was created with municipal representatives, community service officials and members of the local Metis Nation of Alberta. A little over a month ago, that group met behind closed doors with Lac La Biche County councillors to discuss their progress. Coming out of the meeting, council announced the new site — of three proposed in the task force's plan — would be near the community parks.
That process was questioned by some at Tuesday's public hearing. One resident, Danny Stevens, a nearby condominium owner pulling no punches and calling the process a "sham."
Stevens, like the other people commenting, underlined the importance of a project to help the homeless and less fortunate ... just not at what he called the community's "hidden gem."
Members of La Biche Rotary Club shared similar thoughts. That community group recently unveiled a disc golf course at the park, as well as making a $25,000 donation to the project. The proposed homeless facility would have been within metres of the course's first fairway.
Sue Ward, a founding member of the local Rotary said — again while fully supporting the need to have a homeless program — that if the project were to go ahead at that particular site, the club would be looking at revisiting the donation.
A temporary homeless camp area has been in operation on municipal property within the Bonesville subdivision south of the Lac La Biche hamlet. With the assistance and partnership of local MNA officials, that site has see the creation of several wooden sheds with some electrical service. People using that site are also linked to the Lac La Biche amenities with a three-times-daily community bus service.
While the local MNA office has been integral in the issue over the last few years, and did have representation at Tuesday's public hearing, no public presentation was heard.
Most around the council table realize that the location issue — like the overall homeless issue itself — will not have an easy solution.
Councillor Lorin Tkachuk — saying he lives less than a block from the current overnight in-town men's shelter that operates within a few metres of a local school — reported he has seen no real issues. He also said the idea of Not In My Back Yard is going to be an issue no matter where the new location could be.Council, administrators and the transitional housing task force will now go back to re-examine locations for the needed facility.
As temperatures cool to seasonal levels, the local Out of the Elements Men's Shelter as well as the Bonvesville camp are expected to help the less fortunate weather the storm.
Council has asked for more discussion, with results to be brought back to a public meeting in the coming weeks.
*Lakelandtoday will have more from this story - including more comments from decisions makers in updates.
