Relocate or shut down? Divided opinions on fate of Charlottetown Outreach Centre
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Neighborhood Outreach Centre in Charlottetown could quickly relocate to Park Avenue, however many native residents imagine that merely transferring it is not sufficient.
Because it opened in 2020, the outreach centre has seen its clientele triple and has grow to be a supply of controversy. Close by residents have raised issues about property injury, break-ins, public drug use and violence.
On Nov. 3, the province introduced plans to maneuver the centre to the Park Avenue shelter website, which will probably be its fifth location.
‘A poison pit’
Vaughan Davies, who lives on Esher Avenue, mentioned relocation alone gained’t suffice.
“We have been advocating all alongside for a whole closure. So, wherever it goes, it is not acceptable in its current kind.” – Vaughan Davies
“We have been advocating all alongside for a whole closure. So wherever it goes, it is not acceptable in its current kind,” he instructed SaltWire in an interview Nov. 7.
“We’re not with out compassion. If the powers that be need to get a proper-run website, staffed by public sector staff, correctly educated, correctly paid and held accountable, we’ve no drawback with that. However that outreach centre the way in which it’s now, it is only a poison pit. It destroys communities, poorly managed.”
He was amongst dozens of individuals collaborating in a protest outdoors the George Coles Constructing on Nov. 7, the second protest this month opposing the outreach centre.
Even transferring it to Park Avenue will not make a major distinction for him, as his house is close to Park Avenue anyway, Davies mentioned.
For the previous three years, he has witnessed violence and discarded needles in his neighbourhood, even when the centre is on Euston Avenue. Davies recalled an incident when he and his spouse have been as soon as threatened by a person who was going via rubbish cans within the space.
“He threatened to interrupt our home windows, minimize our throats. I received it proper on my phone right here, reported to the police.”
Anne Sheehan, who lives on Alexander Drive, mentioned she will’t sleep properly at evening resulting from loud noises like screeching, screaming and wailing coming from the centre, along with concern of individuals breaking into her dwelling.
“It is one thing that I don’t need to placed on another person or in one other neighbourhood. This has received to be stopped,” she mentioned.
Not workers’s fault, says advocate
Ellen Taylor, an area psychological well being and addictions advocate, helps the transfer as the present location on Euston Avenue is problematic, being near homes and two faculties.
“I believe that it is a good suggestion to maneuver it to Park Avenue,” she mentioned. “They’re nonetheless going to have issues at Park Avenue as a result of I believe that they are missing a number of the companies which can be wanted.”
These wanted companies ought to embody improved psychological well being assist and counselling to help people of their path to restoration, in addition to shut followups with purchasers to know their wants and progress, slightly than simply transferring the centre to a brand new place because the province has achieved, mentioned Taylor, who battled habit prior to now and efficiently accomplished therapy 4 years in the past.
“I do suppose they’re providing good applications there. I do not suppose it is the fault of the individuals which can be working it in anyway. And I do know a number of the workers and so they’re nice. It might probably’t be shut down,” she mentioned.
Closing the centre fully would imply purchasers would not have a central place for daytime assist.
“I do not know the way they may ever shut it down as a result of, like, the place would these individuals go? They’d disperse into the neighborhood, and it will be worse for my part,” she mentioned.
Present mannequin not working
Charlottetown Coun. Mitchell Tweel mentioned he understands the necessity for companies to assist individuals who battle with psychological well being and habit, however he believes the present mannequin of the outreach centre is not working.
“I believe it is wanted however not underneath this mannequin. It does not imply you bought to come back in and switch the neighbourhoods and communities the wrong way up,” he mentioned.
Tweel was one of many audio system on the protest on Nov. 7, calling for the whole closure of the centre.
Tweel mentioned slightly than relocating the centre once more, the province ought to “return to the drafting board” to reevaluate the centre’s targets and objective earlier than reopening it.
To this point, the neighborhood has not witnessed optimistic outcomes from the centre, he mentioned, including there have solely been adverse penalties, from violence and drug use to property injury, he mentioned.
“That is what we have skilled. And it has been horrendous, horrific, nothing however a nightmare,” the councillor mentioned.
After the announcement on Nov. 3, the province intends to quickly submit a variance request to the town, with plans to maneuver the outreach centre 60 days after getting permission.
In a press release to SaltWire on Nov. 8, a metropolis spokesperson mentioned the town doesn’t touch upon open functions earlier than a proper report has been forwarded to the Planning Board. Nonetheless, the spokesperson confirms the Planning and Heritage Division has not obtained a accomplished main variance software with regard to the relocation of the outreach centre to Park Avenue.
Thinh Nguyen is a enterprise reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He might be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and adopted on X @thinhnguyen4291.
