Moncton homeless resource centre survives attempt to terminate lease

A homeless resource centre in Moncton has been given a one-year reprieve after council voted against efforts to not renew their lease.

City council was considering ending the John Howard Society of Southeastern New Brunswick's occupancy in the former Lions Club on St. George Street.

The society opened an out-of-the-cold shelter last year, and was continuing to operate a resource centre called Bridge to Home in the building.

In September,Coun. Shawn Crossman introduced a motion to terminate the lease, due to public safety issues, and start operating the building as a community centre again.

That motion was to be debated on Monday, but a new motion was introduced to renew the lease for another year with several conditions.

Mayor Dawn Arnold said with winter coming, the city couldn't afford to deal with an uncertain future for the out-of-the-cold shelter.

"We had a viable shelter out-of-the-cold shelter already set up. The thought of closing it down was, I don't think anybody wanted that," said Arnold.

The building is owned by the city, but leased by the province to house the centre run by the John Howard Society.

Thenew lease comes with several conditions from the city, includingopening an out-of-the-cold shelter on Nov. 1, providing 24/7 external security through an accredited company, and continuing to utilize space behind the centre known as the "outdoor zone" to help with "community visibility issues."

Information Morning - Moncton18:14Moncton council votes to keep Bridge to Home Centre open for another year

Shawn Crossman is a Moncton city councillor. Dan Brooks is the executive director of the John Howard Society of Southeastern New Brunswick.

CBC News asked the province about the new conditions on Tuesday afternoon, but did not receive a response by publication time.

Dan Brooks, the executive director of the John Howard Society of Southeastern New Brunswick, said he doesn't have an issue with the new conditions.

"I think that they're fair," he said.

Seeking permanent solution

The new lease is only for a year, so a more permanent solution is still needed.

Brooks said moving the centre would be quite an undertaking, especially trying to informclients about where to access services.

And there's the issue of receiving a less-than-warm welcome wherever the centre might go, said Brooks.

"No matter where we were, where we locate, there's going to be a not-in-my-backyard sort of following that comes with it," he said.

While the current location isn't ideal, Brooksthinks it could be made to work.

"I think with a little bit of time and foresight and everybody working for the right outcome, I think that we'll be able to find something that we can work with," he said.