Sundance Haven relocation plans to be subject of public debate

The operator of Sundance Haven is looking to relocate the group home to a West Hill neighbourhood, and the amount of notice given about the public hearing into that request is drawing criticism.

The Native Coordinating Council (NCC) wants to buy the property at 433 Mahon Drive in Prince Albert, where the group home would move from its current site on First Avenue East. Sundance Haven works with girls between the ages of 13-18, and in a letter to the neighbours of the Mahon Drive site, it said that this location will house five youths.

The planning and development services sent notice about the public hearing that will give residents who live within 75 metres of the proposed site an opportunity to have their voices heard by council. That notice was sent out on Oct. 27. As it stands, it’s policy to send out the notice at least seven days before the public hearing.

But Mayor Greg Dionne doesn’t think the seven days’ notice is enough. Although residents have the right to come forward right up until the hearing – in this case, on Nov. 10 – Dionne said he doesn’t like to get information at the 11th hour. He’s concerned that residents may raise a point that he hasn’t thought of and he wants to be able to research that point.

“So, I want to give everyone an opportunity when we’re having a public hearing to be heard,” he said after Monday’s executive committee meeting.

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Members of council have already fielded concerns from residents. Dionne emphasizes that council is a “neutral body,” and is reserving comment about the proposal itself until next Monday’s council meeting.

“Because you have to hear both sides. So, it’s important that we keep our integrity and that we have a process and we will hold a public hearing on the 10th and at that time, we’ll be able to speak,” he said.

Coun. Ted Zurakowski explained that part of this process is to also ensure that members of the public know they have an opportunity to voice their concerns. “Whether a good concern or a real concern and [the] search for information in City Hall is often difficult in itself, so we often rely on the media to also get that information out.”

Zurakowski represents Ward 8, the area in which Sundance Haven is looking to relocate to. He said that the deadline for residents to submit correspondence to the City is on Tuesday, but they can still attend the public hearing.

As city officials work to get information out to the public about the hearing into the Sundance Haven proposal, Dionne is already looking at a policy change. At next week’s meeting, he will serve notice that a motion to amend the policy to change it from at least seven days to 14 days’ notice.

“Seven days is not enough for anybody. Especially when you’re working, you got kids to take to the hockey games and other sporting events,” he said.

And Sundance Haven’s operator has plans to attend the council meeting, as stated in its letter to the neighbours of 433 Mahon Drive.

The operator stated that Sundance Haven has existed for many years and has been run by the NCC without incident for the last eight years. It wrote that a staff member will be on duty at the home at all times and two members will be on duty between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. The NCC’s board also operates Children’s Haven and the new NCC Peer Home, which is another home for girls.

“The youth we accept into our home are not delinquents nor have they been in trouble with the law. We attempt to reach them before that happens and offer a mentoring program to assist them to be independent adults.”

In the letter, the operator explained that Sundance Haven needs to relocate because its current home is not meeting needs of the youth. As well, the house is nearly a century old and costly repairs are needed, the NCC wrote.

It went on to state that the Mahon Drive location was originally intended to accommodate a group home, but has been used as a rental home.

As for the amount of additional information members of council is able to provide about Sundance Haven’s plans, Zurakowski said they aren’t privy to any additional information that the public isn’t.

“And they call us for information and often we don’t have it,” he said.

Dionne added that the information members of council don’t have is the information needed for the public hearing – the specific concerns of the residents, whether it be about congestion or density or housing.

“I just believe if we get 14 more days, you can make a better collective decision.”

The proposal to move Sundance Haven won’t be the only group home-related public hearing item on next week’s council agenda. Council will also be considering a development permit for an approved private service home for people with disabilities. It would accommodate four residents at 5 Telfer Bay.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames