Barrie city councillor Clare Riepma says he has “no issue” with the county's plans to relocate modular units from Rose Street to Blake Street for homeless seniors as long as the site is run "properly."
The County of Simcoe, which is responsible for social services in the region, recently informed neighbourhood residents of its plan to bring the pre-built housing structure to 445 Blake St. — which it purchased for $6 million at the end of November — with the intention of using the facility as a Supportive Rapid Re-Housing Program (SRRP) site for seniors (aged 55 and up) who are currently homeless.
“If it is run well and properly and we have some security there … then I think residents won’t even notice it is there," Riepma, who represents Ward 1, told BarrieToday. "These people do need a place to live. And, they are seniors, so they’re probably not going out and causing all kinds of problems anyways.
“I think there is a very good chance it will work really well, and I am sure that the neighbours — and certainly I will — be keeping a very keen eye on it so that if things go awry, we will see that very early on and we can nip whatever is going on in the bud," he added.
Riepma said he was aware of the letter residents near the former Coates Fine Cars property — located on the edge of the city near Penetanguishene Road — received last month. He said he's expecting the county to issue a second letter to residents updating them on the project.
Plans are in the works to host an open house about the facility for people to come and tour the site, the councillor added.
Riepma said he has received some feedback from area residents voicing their concerns about the project, but noted much of that at the time was based on what hs says was “misinformation.”
“I have tried to give people the right information. I think the county has done pretty well with that and they have been pretty open about what it is they’re doing there,” he said of the transitional housing initiative.
Riepma said despite concerns of what one local resident called a “lack of transparency” on the part of both the county and the city, he feels the upper-tier municipality did a “pretty good job” in terms of being transparent.
“They put out a letter before they even purchased the property and they’ve given their email contact and phone numbers, so if anybody has a concern they have an avenue to talk to the county," he said.
As for the city’s role, Riepma said it really did not have one.
“The other thing we have to remember is the site is zoned for this use," he said.
"The city is really not involved in any of this. We have no role to play in social services," Riepma added. "If it was not zoned properly, then of course the city would be involved if there was a rezoning application. But, the use is permitted on that site.
"It’s the same as any private landowner that buys a site that is already zoned — they don’t have to come to the city for any approvals.”
Ultimately, Riepma said this project is something that's “really needed” in the city.
“We get lots of comments that we have homeless people with nowhere to go. This at least gives 15 seniors a place,” he said. “This summer we had (homeless people) living in Shoreview Park, Nelson Park, all along the waterfront...
"(While) this is an issue that largely affects the downtown area, curiously enough it also impacts here in Ward 1," Riepma added. "Right now, we have someone living in St. Vincent Park. We are all affected by this. We need to find a solution (and) I think this is a small part of that solution.”
While the county has reiterated that no site has been confirmed as the future home for a proposed Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hub, Riepma acknowledged the property has the potential to serve as a good location for some of the services.
But as with the current plans, it all comes down to how the facility is run, he added.
“If it’s run well then I don’t think the neighbourhood or the ward has anything to worry about and, in fact, should be proud of it. If it’s not run well and we have impacts on people in the surrounding community then … I will be the first in line to stand up for the residents in the area and say things have to change.
"I will not tolerate something that isn’t run well and has impacts on the neighbourhood.”
