Community Outreach Centre concerns dominate Charlottetown meeting once again
‘There’s not just all these bad criminals there,’ says outreach centre client
Krystal Pirch says it's no longer safe to send her children out to play in her neighborhood in the eastern end of Charlottetown.
Pirch was one of about 150 people to take part in a meeting, organized by concerned residents of the area, on the future of the Community Outreach Centre on Park Street in the capital city.
"My children, they're scared, they're four and five, they used to play out in the front yard," Pirch said during the meeting at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown.
"They don't anymore because of the needles — we're scared — the crack pipes that were thrown."
Earlier this year, the provincial government moved the Community Outreach Centre from Euston Street to Park Street, where the province also operates an overnight emergency shelter.
Both facilities were set up using modular housing units, and the province has said both are temporary solutions while it waits for delivery of a strategy from consultant Carlene Donnelly on a system of care for vulnerable Islanders.
The P.E.I. government provides funding to a third party, the Adventure Group, to run the centre.
The city issued temporary one-year variances to allow the province to operate its facilities at Park Street. The first of those variances, for the shelter, expires in December.
Earlier this month, P.E.I. Housing Minister Steven Myers said the centre will stay at Park Street whether Charlottetown councillors like it or not, saying: "It is not moving, and that's the end of the story."
But Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown said the housing minister needs to be patient and wait for the city's decision on approving the province's request for a permanent zoning amendment that would allow the centre and shelter to stay put.
I would fully support this place if it did what it said it was going to do, if the people going there actually got the help they needed.— Chalen MacPhail, area resident
Chalen MacPhail also lives in the area. He said he used to feel safe walking in his neighbourhood, but not anymore.
"People are running away from it. A few of my neighbours have put their place up for rent, a few more have just moved out and put their place up for sale entirely," MacPhail said in an interview.
"I would fully support this place if it did what it said it was going to do, if the people going there actually got the help they needed."
But a couple of people at the meeting, who are actually clients of the Community Outreach Centre, said they did get the help they needed.
Austin Crabbe said he was 18 years old when he was forced to access the services.
"I'm only 20 years old, I could easily be your son," Crabbe told those at the meeting.
"My family abandoned me two years ago. I was thrown into this situation… I feel like I'm nothing and that I'm worthless."
That prompted a woman in the crowd to shout, "you're not worthless."
Others at the meeting wiped tears from their eyes as Crabbe shared his story.
'We're not all bad'
Crabbe said somebody pointed him to the outreach centre where he was able to get the help he needed for his mental health and addictions issues.
Crabbe said he's now looking at moving into his own place next month, and he's hopeful he has turned a corner and is now better positioned to get back on his feet.
"There's not just all these bad criminals there, there are people who are genuinely trying to get out of the situation, and that is why I did come here today to share my story because we're not all bad," Crabbe said in an interview with CBC News.
The room was full of provincial and municipal politicians, including members of the Progressive Conservative, Liberal and Green parties, as well as Brown, Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov and area councillors Mitchell Tweel and Justin Muttart.
Tweel and Brown would not do an interview, saying they didn't want to prejudice the upcoming vote city council will have on whether the outreach centre will stay on Park Street.
Tweel made brief remarks to the crowd. He said he couldn't make any comment about the application before council. But he did tell residents that he hopes these community meetings will continue, calling them "essential."
Muttart also made brief remarks, saying he was only there to listen and observe because of the application is currently before council. He said there will be another meeting in January, hosted by planning board, where residents can once again express their views.
'I just want better'
Back on Kensington Road, Pirch said she's not opposed to having the Community Outreach Centre on Park Street.
But she said there needs to be some big changes so she can feel safe in her community once again.
"I just wish to see the outreach centre do better, or be moved," she said.
"I just want better for the community, my children, all the community children."
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