Soul’s Harbour Rescue Mission is working on a new facility in a currently empty lot in North Central.
The $7 million facility, located on Angus Street, will house a daycare, soup kitchen, men’s shelter and affordable apartment units. It will replace an older building on Halifax Street.
"When it's all said and done, we'll have an environmentally-conscious building, a socially-conscious building that's cheaper to run and maintain than any of our existing facilities," said Michael Towers, director of operations for Soul’s Harbour Rescue Mission.
It will move the group’s services from the downtown core to North Central.
“There is a need in North Central for these types of services.”
Some nearby residents are voicing their concerns. Patty Will has lived in North Central for more than 10 years. Her alley backs on to the new facility.
“There will be way too many negative people around our houses, as well as our children in the neighbourhood,” she said.
Will said residents are most concerned about the soup kitchen and men’s shelter.
“It’s already the safety concern, as it is in the neighbourhood,” Will said. “We’re just concerned.”
The city and Soul’s Harbour hosted an open house at the end of August. North Central residents felt like their voices weren’t heard. They have collected 125 signatures on a petition against the new building and plan to take their concerns to city council.
“(We’re) hoping that more people listening to our plight is going to help,” Will said. “I guess that’s the best thing we do for now.”
Soul’s Harbour said the facility won’t have a negative effect on the area.
“We find our facilities lower crime in the neighbourhood, because of the security cameras, because of the increased presence of staff, the programs, the facilities, the services that we offer,” Towers said.
The application is currently under review by the city, with plans to open the doors in July 2018.
