Drop-In Centre project in jeopardy?
Posted Jun 16, 2014 10:45 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There are reports the province is pulling it’s $5 million grant for a development permit submitted by the Calgary Drop-In Centre.
The group wants to turn a former Quality Inn at McKnight Boulevard and Edmonton Trail into transitional housing for 120 people.
They bought the building in 2012 for $8 million and have faced opposition from nearby community groups worried about the kind of clientele that would live there.
The move drew the ire of Mayor Naheed Nenshi.
“I requested a meeting with them just last week. Rather than set up that meeting, they applied for the permit, taking it out of the politicians hands,” says Nenshi.
“They haven’t gained commuinity support; If you read their engagement report they admit they went so far as to have uninvited spies with videocameras at community meetings. This is not how you gain community support.”
Drop-In Centre Executive Director Debbie Newman claims they’ve worked with community members to draft a good neighbour agreement.
