A fence has been installed at the Margo Fournier Center. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

shelter issues

City puts up fence outside Margo Fournier Centre

Jul 16, 2021 | 4:00 PM

The city of Prince Albert has again put up a six-foot-tall fence outside the Margo Fournier Centre.

The decision was made due to an increase in loitering activity outside the public recreational facility. A fence was also put up last summer.

“Unfortunately, we had to put a fence up around the main entrance for both the safety and security of the staff and patrons that use the facility,” Mayor Greg Dionne told paNOW. “Now people who use that facility will have to come in off 12th Street where we can better monitor, and people can get in uninhibited.”

With Stepping Stones shelter re-opening its doors this week, the mayor suggested that shelter as a place for people to go.

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“With the shelter re-opening they now have an opportunity to go there for lodging, food, and refreshments,” Dionne said. “We hope that will solve a part of the problem.”

Councilor for the ward, Tera Lennox-Zepp would like to see other things done, rather than seeing a fence put up.

“A fence around a public building is not the direction I would like to see us take, and has not been debated at city council,” Lennox-Zepp said. “I do think we have some other options.

“The issues being raised really do highlight our need for a public washroom downtown, and public spaces being available for a vulnerable citizens.”

She mentioned there is a need for added shelters in the city.

“It’s always a sad situation when we have a need for more space at shelters for the capacity we currently have,” Lennox-Zepp said. “We do have some shelter locations, I think there is a need for more.”

paNOW also reached out to the Prince Albert Grand Council, but they could not comment at this time.

Dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @dawsonthompson8