Plan for expanded shelter for Fredericton homeless fails to win committee's support

Fredericton's planning advisory committee has voted to deny a proposal that would see the expansion of a drop-in centre on Woodstock Road for homeless people.

Committee members voted 3-2 Wednesday to support a city staff recommendation to deny a zoning amendment that would allow the Phoenix Learning Centre to continue as a drop-in centre and add asecond storeyto create nine assisted live-in units.

Planning advisory committee members Coun. John MacDermid, and Neill McKay both said they admire what the centre aims to providebut don't think it fits in in the location of the Sunshine Gardens residential neighbourhood.

"It is a needed service, but it is clearly having a very serious impact on surrounding properties," McKay said.

Staff give the thumbs down

The vote followed a presentation by Dallas Gillis, a senior planner for the city, followed by several presentations by members of the community who voiced support and opposition for the proposal.

In his report, co-signed by community planning manager Marcello Battilana, Gillis said the building housing the centre is the former site of a church, which was granted its current zoning in 1982 on the grounds that it only be used for purposes surrounding those of a religious institution.

He also highlighted how neighbours in the area raised concerns with staff about observations of illicit drug use by users of the centre, people entering or interfering with neighbourhood properties, public urination, people feeling unsafe in their neighbourhood due to erratic behaviour and used needles being found on the street.

He also said in his report that between October 2020 and March 9, the Fredericton Police Force received 70 calls for service in that area, and while not all of them were related directly or indirectly to the centre, the majority were.

A plan to change what's currently in place

The committee also heard from Dr. Sara Davidson, the proposal's applicant and one of the founders of the centre, which is linked to the River Stone Recovery Centre in Fredericton's downtown.

In her presentation, Davidson said the COVID-19 pandemic has made the circumstances for homeless persons worse, such as leaving fewer options for finding warm places to shelter, and increased poverty caused by the economic downturn.

She said with the rezoning, the plan isn't to keep the centre operating as a drop-in centre catering to people living on the streets, but to focus more on the live-in residents.

"Phoenix Learning Centre, as it is now, is victim to a pandemic, highlighting the social frailty that we all know has to change," Davidson said.

"We do not want to rezone the building to keep it as it is. We want to rezone it for what it can become. Our problems as a city are solvable, but it takes leadership and a willingness to go a different way, and I urge you to be brave and to engage and to make change."

Voices for and against

Following her presentation, several others spoke both in favour and opposition to the proposal.

Among the proponents for the amendment was Steven Burns, widower of Fredericton police Const. Sara Burns, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in August. 2018. He's since become publicly involved in campaigns aimed at raising money for social causes in the city.

Jordan Lutes, who has two young children, spoke out about his concerns with allowing the centre to continue to exist, and potentially expand, and presented photos he claimed showed clients of the centre consuming illicit drugs in its parking lot.

Council gets final vote

In an interview after the meeting, community planning manager Marcello Battilana said while the committee voted against the amendment, council will have the final say on whether to approve it.

He said first and second reading of the bylaw will be read at regular council next Monday, March 22, and third and final reading will take place on April 12.

"If council says yes to [the zoning amendment] then it can," he said.

"If council says no to the application, then [the Phoenix Learning Centre] has to cease operation."