Site near Nepean Sportsplex chosen for asylum seeker 'welcoming centre'

A large, tent-like structureto shelter and support asylum seekersseems destined for the Nepean Sportsplex area, according to Ottawa city staff, with another headed to Kanata Southif necessary.

A memo issued late Thursday indicated the first "welcoming centre" could be open by the end of 2025.

The sitesaim to ease the substantial pressure on Ottawa's shelter systems caused by a recentinflux of people who come to Canada for refuge.

A form of tent-like structure such asthose made by the Sprung company were deemed most suitable, because of cost and the speed with which they can be put into use.

Clara Freire, the city'sgeneral manager of community and social services,described them in the memo as a "more dignified option for newcomers who are currently sleeping on bunk beds in recreational facilities that have not been designed for human habitation."

The centrescan be customized to include private living spaces, kitchens, washrooms and communal areas.

The first to be built will be west of the coreon the cusp of the Greenbelt:Woodroffe Avenue near West Hunt Club Road, at the site of the Sportsplex a community and recreation huband a training facility run by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

While it's owned by the National Capital Commission, the cityhas an existing lease for an "underutilized football field" and has been given permission to shift its use.

Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine, whose ward includes the site that landedinthe top spot, saidhe's confident that people in his ward will be understanding.

"I don't begrudge people for having adverse reactions, or responses immediately to what they're learning here," he told CBC. "But I'm not going to let fear get in the way of compassion."

Devinehas some concerns about the communications from staffgiven that he learned about the site within a day of it being chosen. But hesaid "Ward 9 is ready to help."

• Hundreds of asylum seekers now living in makeshift shelters in Ottawa
• City plans 'sprung structures' for up to 300 refugees, asylum seekers

The facilitieshave been a lightning rod for controversy in Barrhaven since staffplaced that community on an earlier shortlist.

"I know[the memo is]going to put a lot of my community at ease," BarrhavenEast Coun. Wilson Lo told CBCbeforesharingthe news at an online meeting with residents Thursday night.

WATCH |Barrhaven pushes back against proposed shelter:

City proposal for helping asylum seekers sparks protest

5 days ago

Duration 3:54

A proposed temporary housing solution for asylum seekers is causing backlash in Barrhaven, where the city councillor says Ottawa has suggested building a newcomer reception centre which would include two tent-like structures.

'They will have what's needed'

Much of the memo focused on the assessment of the locations, including access to transportation and walkability, along with adequatewater and sewage infrastructure.

But Devinealso wants people to know that staff will be providing appropriatesupport to the temporary residents.

"Food will be on site, transportation for these residents to and from the Sprung shelter to whatever kind of appointments they need to go to. Social services will be on site," he said. "They will have what's needed provided for them."

Once the site is openand other transitional facilities are up and running, staff said they'll be able to reopen community centres currently housing those in need of emergency shelter.

These would not be permanent homes for the newcomers, Freire wrote. The aim is to move the single adults to a more suitable home within 90 days.

WATCH |What it's like to seek refuge at a community centre:

Woman describes life inside one of Ottawa's overflow shelters for asylum seekers

3 days ago

Duration 3:40

The Heron Community Centre was turned into an emergency shelter to house more than 200 refugees and asylum seekers. The city says it's working to have more purpose-built shelter space to manage the crisis in Ottawa's shelter system.

2nd site contemplated

Staff told councillors that the city also found that a site near the Eagleson Park & Ridewould be suitable to host one of the structures, but there are no immediate plans to build that one just yet.

"Staff were very clear to me today that they're just building one structure," Kanata South Coun. Allan Hubley told CBC.

Bound by a plaza and the Highway 417 exit ramp, consultant Stantecidentified no major concerns with the site.

Hubley emphasized the need for the federal government to make the city whole.

• City looks to federal budget for millions to house, support asylum seekers
• Canada prepares forthreat of mass deportations under Trump

"Theactions of the federal government, we don't control that," he said.

"If the prime minister comes out tomorrow and says, 'We've got another 100,000 asylum seekers coming in next week.' Well, it's not just one more Sprung Structure, it's going to be 10Sprung Structures that we're going to need to build. So we need some consistency."

The city has submitted a proposal to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for $106 million to fund the facilities and three years of operations.

Ottawa Morning9:42Temporary site for asylum seekers headed for Nepean and maybe Kanata South, too

A large, tent-like structure designed to shelter and support asylum seekers and refugees seems destined for Nepean, according to Ottawa city staff, with another headed to Kanata South, if necessary.