In response to Nathan Colquhoun's column "NIMBY language is holding Sarnia back—and politicians need to ignore it"
Dear Editor,
I have to agree with Mr. Colquhoun, on this issue.
The address for the church in question, is 837 EXMOUTH ST. The entrance to it's parking lot, is on EXMOUTH ST. It is not, (as stated) in the embedded community of Melrose St., it is located in the already existing, "rental" community, on Exmouth St.
Melrose St. itself, may be a "home owned" community, but it is bounded by commercial properties, and multiple unit apartment / townhouse complexes, on Exmouth St., many of them, likely "home" to lower income folk.
I'm a pensioner, on a fixed income, and live across Exmouth St., from the church/ homeless shelter. Yes, we too experience intrusion by those "temporary tenants" and would gladly see the church become affordable housing, for lower income persons, thereby, displacing the centralization of drug users, who (by choice) prefer living a life without rules or boundaries. This sort, have no interest in any type of permanent, "by the book" lifestyle.
Being "poor" does not equal "bad." Any number of us, started out with low paying jobs, but somehow managed to build lives, buy homes, raise families, while remaining, good citizens..
To deny others' that opportunity, because you're afraid of social misfits, is unfair. How do you know what sort of people already live around you, in all those rental units? I live in one of those complexes, and yes, there are a few, who detract from the overall civility of the building, but those outside these walls, are unaware. Those on Melrose, Copland, or in adjacent buildings, are unaffected.
The proposed development, would be no different to any other multi unit building. The Inn, is not going to waste precious funding on a building, and not take care of it. They are not looking to house undesirables, they just want to help those, (as many of us were) in need of a hand, to get ahead.
It was an emergency situation, which required swift resolution, that created the homeless shelter. It was never meant to be a permanent solution, and has gone on longer than was planned, but it will close. Those, who genuinely want to overcome their addiction, will seek help, the rest, will resume whatever life was, before winter set in.
The future of that building remains in your hands. Will it sit, decaying over time? Will it again, shelter the homeless next winter? Will it become another "Pay Day" or Cannabis store? What makes the most sense, is to build another multi unit dwelling, where so many others, already exist.
Come on, city council, make a stand, we have to start somewhere. This is a perfect location, It's close to all amenities, in a well established, multi unit neighbourhood, The building design needs to be reconfigured, so that the main entrance/exit, face Exmouth St. (as it should) which would mitigate disruption, on Melrose St.