YWCA group home permit approved by council

A proposed YWCA group home for single mothers has received approval from city council after concerns from neighbours were heard and addressed.

City council approved a development permit, Monday, which would see a bed and breakfast on the West Hill sold and converted into a group home for up to five young mothers and their children.

The proposal had garnered several complaints from people in the neighbourhood in the form of letters and calls to councillors.

One resident Darcy Blahut appeared in council to task about his concerns. He said the YWCA was a great organization and that ultimately the home would be taken care of. However, his main concern was that not enough information was given to allow himself and his family to come to that conclusion.

“If that at the end of the day that I have the YWCA as a neighbor then I may be the happiest man in Prince Albert because they probably will make great neighbours,” he told council.

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“But it’s a question worth asking — to run through a process and not include people throughout the course of the conversation earlier on is to potentially lose out on a lot of fairly asked questions and good information.”

YWCA Manager Donna Brooks also took the time to address concerns she had received from residents.

“I understand that anytime there is a development in a neighbourhood there are going to be questions and concerns and there should be,” she said.

Brooks said the home wouldn’t be altered, would be maintained professionally, would have no signage and would have clientele not considered high risk.

She noted specifically that there would be no concerns about angry boyfriends or fathers.

“Operating our location on Central Avenue — which we have operated since 1982 — we have never had an angry father come and try to see the mom and baby,” she said.

“So history is telling me that we haven’t had it happen, but if it was to happen our policy and procedure is to call the police and have him removed.”

In the end council approved the development with a few caveats. The home must be licensed by the province and pass safety, health and fire inspections.

It must also be limited to 10 individuals of which, only five can be mothers. Finally, any new owners or changes of use must be approved by council.

Debate continues over communication

Even though council passed the permit, it still left open the question of home the city notifies residents of significant changes to a neighbourhood.

One of the major concerns put forward by residents was that the city only gives out seven days’ notice of development permit application and only to homes within 75 meters. For many that was simply too short.

“We have a diverse community with diverse needs we have to come up with a better system that is not flawed with mistaken or misinformation,” said Coun. Lee Atkinson.

“And we also have to work in conjunction with the advocates to say, 'you need to go out there yourselves and inform the residents in that close proximity of what your intentions are.'”

It was a suggestion that received no definite answer.

adesouza@panow.com