Grande Prairie city councillors have voted to ratify the $15.5 million purchase of the Stonebridge Hotel in order to turn it into a community care campus. The move comes just two weeks after the site was approved for rezoning from a hotel to an onsite client care centre with supportive housing and services to address varying levels of need related to mental health, physical health, and addiction.
The price tag will cover both the purchase of the property and its renovation. The funds will be borrowed, and it’s expected that they will be covered by operating revenues and won’t require a tax increase.
The decision was made at a lengthy city council meeting Monday night that had its fair share of flare-ups. Councillor Wade Pilat, the lone no vote on the approval of the development permit, got into a verbal sparring match with City of Grande Prairie CAO Horacio Galanti. Mayor Jackie Clayton abstained from the vote due to her previous ties with the Pomeroy Group, which owns the Stonebridge Hotel.
Pilat suggested that councillors were only given 72 or so hours before having to decide to borrow the money to pay for the project, and also argued there were many holes still left to fill when it came to final financial figures. Galanti disagreed.
“Council has been aware of this project for a very long time,” he said. “We have followed the proper procurement protocols; it is completely incorrect what you’re saying, that Friday at 5 p.m. this is the first time you received information about this. I am personally offended with this comment.”
The proposal includes repurposing the hotel on 100 Street into a facility that would house social service organizations, health care services, and community supportive housing units. It would not be a shelter, but would provide food services, recreation, and multi-cultural spaces.
City departments like Enforcement Services and Community Social Development would also be moved into the building, and support services will be provided by Northreach Society. There would be security on-site, as well as 24/7 supports for mental health, physical health, and addiction needs.
During the meeting, Director of Protective and Social Services Chris Manuel explained that, while there are different ways to bring permanent supportive housing to fruition in the city, a decision needed to be made one way or another as the demand for supportive housing is only growing.
“Permanent supportive housing was discussed in Grande Prairie when I got here in 2011, so it’s not as though work has not gone towards this [and] the municipality hasn’t spent money on consultants… we’ve even purchased lands for these purposes that we don’t use because they haven’t moved forward.”
“In my role as the Protective and Social Services Director, who needs to deal with the social implication being experienced by the community in regard to street engagement, the most effective and efficient means to solve the problem in front of me,” he added. “That’s why I propose this rapid housing solution, and I do believe our team is capable of making it a success.”
A scheduled availability between Pilat and local media was cancelled to be rescheduled for Tuesday.