Charlottetown residents voice safety fears over shelter, outreach centre on Park Street

People who live in the eastern end of Charlottetown showed up once again Thursday night to express their frustration over plans to keep a community outreach centre and emergency overnight shelter in their neighbourhood.

The P.E.I. Housing Corporation, which operates the centre, says both provide vital services.

But people who live near the site at 15 Park Street say it's been a nightmare since the services moved to their community. 

Shannon Courtney, who lives on Beach Street,  was one of about 100 people who were at the meeting. 

"My mental wellbeing has suffered tremendously. I never felt unsafe in all my years on Beach Street since 2014 but now I lock my doors all the time, I avoid Joe Ghiz Park, and the trail, and stress about our future if we choose to stay in our neighbourhood," said Courtney, whose voice was breaking with emotion. 

"I fear for our personal safety, the safety of our home, the safety of all those who live, work, study and play in the eastern core of Charlottetown."  

'It is not moving'

Police were taking no chances at the meeting Thursday night. 

Two police officers stood outside the meeting room. Two others were inside the meeting room.

In July 2023, tensions boiled over and a similar meeting turned chaotic over the emergency shelter. Then-Housing Minister Rob Lantz was even shoved by an angry resident.

People were passionate at Thursday night's meeting.

But there was no violence.

'Stand up to the bully'

Boyd Peardon, who lives on Beach Street, raised concerns about comments from the new housing minister, Steven Myers, about the location of the emergency shelter.

In an interview with CBC News in November, Myers said: "It is not moving, and that's the end of the story."

"In all my years living in Charlottetown, I've never heard — not once — the province say they do not care what the city does, they'll proceed anyway with this centre. This bullying tactic is not only insulting, but very short-sighted and inexcusable for a minister of the province to say," said Peardon.

"The ball is in your court now. Stand up to the bully and say no."

Officials say the number of people using the Park Street location is down from when it was located on Euston Street.

But they say the site is at or near capacity most nights.

'I got attacked'

Kerry Mullneaux-Waugh of Belmont Street said she realizes the services are needed, but she believes the centre is not being properly managed.

"My car got broken into four times, my house got broken into twice, I got attacked in my own yard," said Mullneaux-Waugh.

Peter Cudmore, who is a teacher at Birchwood Intermediate, said he worries about the students who leave the school to walk down to nearby fast-food restaurants that are located next to the outreach centre.

"That man whose daughter is not allowed to walk to Wendy's anymore — I have a duty of care to my students. If she's not allowed to walk to Wendy's, should we be allowing our students to walk there?" he said.  

"It's not uncommon to see a pipe or a needle… and I'm just concerned that eventually one of my students is going to pick up something and think they're cool and do something that they can't reverse."

'It's a complete 360'

Charlottetown's deputy mayor Alanna Jankov, who is also chair of the planning and heritage committee, said the city's planning division will make a recommendation to the planning board, which will then make a recommendation to city council. She hopes it will be in front of council in March.

Jankov said she feels for the residents but also for the people who need the services of the emergency shelter.  

"I work for the people in this room," said Jankov.

"Not to pass the buck, but the City of Charlottetown has a role, and we have to make a decision on land use and the three requests that the [province] needs to ensure that they can use this land. It's a complete 360 of what that land was designated for. so it's not an easy decision."

The P.E.I. Housing Corporation said, in a letter to the city, that "we do not necessarily see Park Street as a permanent location for these services, but it is critical, in our view, to continue to operate at this location for a longer period of time." 

'We were sold a pig in a poke'

Vaughan Davies, who lives on Esher Street, said residents were told "many times" that the emergency shelter would only be on Park Street for one year.

"One year. That was it. So we were sold a pig in a poke."