A plan to sell the downtown building that currently houses the auditor general's office and the Out of the Cold program for the homeless has some city councillors concerned.
The building, located at 200 Larch St., has been used to shelter homeless people during winter for the past couple of years, since the program moved from the Elgin Street Mission.
The city also uses the building for training, the Canadian Mental Health Association runs a harm reduction program there and Rainbow Routes is also a tenant.
The building was identified as surplus during the city's rationalization study that outlined which municipal properties could be sold. Because of its location, staff say the private sector has shown interest in buying it.
“A plan is being developed to re-locate the auditor general to Tom Davies Square, Rainbow Routes to another community location and to make use of existing training facilities for project purposes,” the staff report said.
“The city has had several inquiries about purchase of 200 Larch Street and believes this is an opportune time to offer the property for sale, with a closing date in April 2017, so as to allow for one more season of the Out of the Cold program.
“The property will be offered for sale publicly later this summer in accordance with the city's property bylaw.”
There are other properties that could house the Out of the Cold program, the report says, possibly along with the harm reduction program. A report with more details will be coming in September.
But Ward 5 Coun. Bob Kirwan questioned why the city would want to move the Out of the Cold shelter, when its downtown location is close to services and agencies that help the homeless.
“Larch Street is still a pretty good spot,” Kirwan said at Monday's community services committee meeting. “It's so close to the vulnerable people we're talking about.
“I just see 200 Larch St. as so centrally located … I would hate to see us say it's surplus, so we're going to get rid of it.”
If the city does sell it, Kirwan said firm plans should be in place for where the shelter and the other groups will go.
“Once you put it on the market, the clock starts ticking,” he said.
“And we might still need this building.”
But Ward 6 Coun. René Lapierre said putting the building up for sale doesn't mean it will be sold and unavailable anytime soon.
“It could be at 12 to 18 months before anything happens,” Lapierre said.
And Ron Henderson, the city's GM of assets, citizen and leisure services, said the new location for Out of the Cold will be determined before anything happens with 200 Larch St.
“I can assure the committee the property will not be for sale this summer,” Henderson said.
