Photo by Vince Fedoroff
TALKING HOUSING – Kirk Cameron (right), the Liberal candidate in the Dec. 13 byelection in Whitehorse Centre, speaks with reporters by the Alexander Street Residence today. Bill Wallace and Wendy Carlick are in the background.
Kirk Cameron, the Liberal candidate for the Whitehorse Centre byelection,
Kirk Cameron, the Liberal candidate for the Whitehorse Centre byelection, wants the seniors' housing complex at 207 Alexander St. converted to a permanent shelter for the homeless when the replacement facility is completed.
"It just makes so much sense to use it for something really practical,” Cameron told local media he invited to the aging wooden structure this morning to share his idea.
While the current Yukon Party government supports establishing a permanent shelter in Whitehorse, it has done little apart from researching the problem and paying lip service to it in the legislature.
"Instead of studying, studying, studying, why don't we take action and convert this facility?” Cameron asked.
"We have a government in power now that has spent eight years studying the problem and done nothing.”
The Liberal candidate noted the building's location is central to other social service providers – both governmental and non-governmental – in the downtown and that it could be converted for a minimal investment.
"Whether you drop a couple hundred thousand or a million dollars (to renovate it), it's an immediate and useful solution,” said Cameron.
Built in 1963, the seniors' facility at 207 Alexander St. is undergoing "a complete analysis” by its Yukon Housing Corp. landlord, said corporation spokeswoman Natalie Ouellet.
At the moment, the housing corporation has no immediate plans for the building, added Ouellet.
Meanwhile, construction continues at 22 Waterfront Place, where the corporation's 30-unit seniors' housing replacement is expected to be finished next spring.
The current facility at 207 Alexander St., which underwent a major energy retrofitting project in the 1980s, has 13 suites.
In Whitehorse, the Salvation Army on Fourth Avenue is the territory's only permanent shelter.
With 10 beds, overflow clientele, particularly in the winter months, are forced to sleep on chairs and benches in the shelter's common room.
Challenging Cameron in the Dec. 13 byelection are NDP candidate and party leader Liz Hanson and Mike Nixon for the Yukon Party.
The byelection was made necessary by former NDP leader and Whitehorse Centre MLA Todd Hardy's death in late July.
Angel's Nest, the Youth of Today Society's property and proposed shelter for young adults, is equipped with 10 beds. Incorrect information appeared in Tuesday's edition.
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Comments (8)
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Francias pillman on Dec 3, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Hi CC. I enjoy talking about facts, wanna hear a few? Giving the homeless a place to stay will not solve the problem. Giving them money won't solve the problem. 95% of these people choose their lifestyle. You people sure have some far fetched dreams thinking if they give them a place to stay then everything else cancels out, and then you can feel all warm and fuzzy inside for really doing nothing in all honesty. Or you just don't want to see them anymore. The whole adage of out of sight, out of mind? "Get them off the streets so i cant look at them?"These homeless people need to take responsibility for their own lives, no one is helping them by living their lives for them. There are so many avenues for help nowadays. I feel no sorrow for ones who don't take advantage of all the available help. Sitting around and feeling sorry for yourself got them into this situation to begin with. Another issue with them is addiction. Until that root cause is dealt with FIRST, continue throwing money at a problem that will never go away.
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Mr Y on Dec 3, 2010 at 6:22 am
Kirk. My kids go to Whitehorse Elementary too. Rarely a day goes by when students don't witness an ambulance dragging someone out of the Salvation Army on a stretcher, drunks staggering from the Sally Ann along the school fence to the liquor store or someone passed out on the front lawn.
Rather than enabling these folks how about arresting them and court mandating them into treatment.
Does your son ask you the same questions about 'those drunk guys' as my kids do, if so how do you explain that to a 7 year old?
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cc on Dec 2, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I can see from the comments and the individuals here that possibly none of you have ever struggled with addictions of any kind. I would sooner see these individuals housed somewhere safe and looked after than out in the elements and on the streets where they could walk out into traffic and get hurt or cause an accident .....so Kirk I commend you on making our current government accountable enough studies...they all say the same anyhow, that we need housing and we need programs to help these individuals with addictions, and we need a government who will listen to those needs and act on them and create the buildings for just that and stop worrying about the god almighty dollar and start looking at the lives affected by society today.
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Don McKenzie on Nov 30, 2010 at 8:09 am
Sounds like Francias is going to have to take a high paying mining job to be able to afford his taxes. Jeez. Life's tuff. LOL
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Francias pillman on Nov 29, 2010 at 10:54 am
Single parents who can't make it? Where did those brand new units go in Riverdale, by Super A go? There is enough handouts for people in this town. Where's my handout? Sorry I can't afford $500k for an asbestos filled, war time built, Mike Holmes disapproved house. There is enough help for the elderly, disabled, and people who keep having kids when they know they don't have the means for it. I have no sympathy for those who continue to overpopulate our earth when they can't even feed themselves. Where is the help for the middle class like me? Oh right, shut up, and stop asking questions.
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Nile on Nov 26, 2010 at 1:43 pm
What a terrible idea. You're right Don it is a way better use of our tax dollars to keep the building as Yukon Housing. That way single parents who can't quite make it on their own can be helped. Kirk's idea of turning it into a nice warm place where the drunks can pass out is a terrible idea. I think both he and Liz Hanson are even pushing the idea of letting them drink in the building. How would helping these people be drunks help Whitehorse out at all? I expect that from the NDP but come on Kirk! For someone who talks about how smart he is this is pretty stupid!
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Don McKenzie on Nov 26, 2010 at 5:03 am
Well... That is certainly an interesting way of killing your chances to be elected. Why not just make a batch of posters saying "HI. I'm Kirk. And I want to drive down your property values. Without 810 Alexander to plague the community, something is missing in your neighbourhood. I have the cure for that."
With a elementary school right around the corner, and the building being close to bus routes, providing a fast way to the college, recreational facilities and work, wouldn't it make more sense to have low income single parent housing places in there. If I lived close to the building I would rather have someone who is trying to claw their way up, than a batch of people who will do nothing to stop the degradation of the neighbourhood.
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Josh James on Nov 25, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Kirk;
Do you have any idea how many people make their livings from these studies?
Wake up and smell the coffee.