Riders rent reduction a 'contractual matter', no legal threat: Reynolds
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The $1.33M rent reduction comes from what the club owed during seasons impacted by the pandemic.
The Saskatoon Tribal Council’s (STC) vision for a new refuge for Saskatoon homeless has come to fruition.
After some delays to complete an inspection of the building’s ventilation system at 145 First Ave. N, the new wellness centre opened at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
The timing couldn’t be better with windchills in the city dipping below -30 C overnight.
“The Wellness Centre has passed all necessary inspections guaranteeing a safe facility for relatives (people) and staff,” a news release from the tribal council read. “Now we can help those in need as the winter weather settles in for the long term.”
Saskatoon city council unanimously approved a lease with the Saskatoon Tribal Council for nearly 10,000 square feet of space in the building and will provide roughly $130,000 of in-kind services.
Tribal Chief Mark Arcand said the STC has between $100,000 and $150,000 of its own funding as well to get the shelter up and running for the next month.
“The Wellness Centre is a temporary solution to the systemic issue of homelessness, with long-term potential to help our relatives (Wahkohmakanak) off the streets,” Arcand said. “This is an Indigenous-led solution for everyone who needs it. STC is proud to lead by example and help our community.”
The shelter will run 24 hours a day, seven days per week. It will have a kitchen area with two fridges, food and microwaves, a laundry room, lounges where residents can watch TV, counselling services and nurse practitioners.
Arcand said the shelter could provide up to 50 beds this winter.
The Saskatoon Tribal Council said it will provide contact information soon to partners and the community at large.