Talks to move Camp Marjorie indoors ongoing: Regina mayor

REGINA -

Discussions to move Regina's Camp Marjorie indoors are ongoing with winter around the corner, according to Mayor Sandra Masters.

Masters said following Wednesday's council meeting that "almost everything" is being looked at in terms of buildings that could suit the camp's needs.

"We don't want to close the camp down without having somewhere to put folks and we know it's getting colder," Masters said. "There's a deep sense of urgency from everyone around the table to come up with a facility that we can negotiate in terms of moving indoors to coordinating the necessary services around them."

According to Masters, some requirements for a building include ability to offer showers, washrooms, food service and more.

"It'd be a huge, huge boost to everyone's general health," said Ian Betz-Wood, a camp volunteer who has been helping with the camp’s day-to-day operations like tent repair. "In a camp like this, we don't have running water, we don't have electricity.”

Masters also mentioned efforts to work with community-based organizations to make different services addressing needs available at an indoor facility including Social Services, housing, income support, detox, mental health and humanitarian aid.

“And transitioning them out when possible into housing whether that’s supportive or independent or some variation thereof,” Masters said.

Shylo Stevenson, the communications officer for Regina Needle Recovery and Community Support, said making the resources available and accessible to people like the approximately 170 living in the camp is essential.

“What we started structuring is having the services come right onto site. It’s been very welcome,” Stevenson said. “There’s a lot of mistrust and relationship building that we need with these people.”

The Wheat City Kinsmen Arena was noted by Masters as an example of a city-owned facility being considered as a possibility, although its dirt floor and the open pipes below used to create its ice surface would be factors to address.

"If we set tents up or allow people to walk on it we could end up damaging pipes and we'd be into it for millions of dollars and potentially just decommission the building entirely, that has to be considered," Masters said. "Are there mitigating solutions to that? Maybe. Even mitigating solutions are being looked at."

Other buildings in the private, provincial and organizational sectors are also being looked at, according to the mayor.

Lori Carr, Minister of Social Services, said the government is working with the City of Regina to relocate residents of Camp Marjorie.

“We’re trying to track down a location that we can move some of those camp members,” Carr said Thursday.

“As we’ve been working with the people at Camp Marjorie, we have been successful in finding housing for five individuals so far and we have 30 applications on the go.”

The province will also work with the city under its cold weather strategy to help get people into warm beds, if spaces are not available at shelters as temperatures drop

“If for some reason a shelter does happen to be full, we have the capacity to put those individuals up in hotel rooms for the evening, so everybody will have a warm place to sleep,” Carr said.

Stevenson is hopeful for the progress being made in recent weeks.

“The end of Camp Marjorie is on the horizon,” said Stevenson. “It’s what we wanted ultimately, we just wish it was faster. And we’ll just wait for the city to formally announce our plan moving forward.”

Late Thursday afternoon, camp organizers posted that they have been advised to start preparations for an indoor transition.