City council has decided to defer awarding the contract for the Alexander Street landscaping project after several residents and business people spoke out against it.

Lane’s Yukon Yardworks is up for the contract, which is valued at $152,359.

If awarded the contract, the company would have to supply and install multiple items in the Alexander Street area, including planting beds, trees, shrubs, benches, street furniture and pavers.

Multiple individuals presented their opposition to the contract at Monday’s council meeting. The first was Melanie McFadyen, who lives on Alexander Street.

“That is my neighbourhood, the place I chose to raise my family,” she said.

McFadyen told council she has noticed the area change, and impact her quality of life. She feels that health and safety should be a priority at this point, not beautification. She feels Alexander Street is chaotic and unsafe.

Her 13-year-old daughter also addressed council. The teen said she feels unsafe when she’s alone in her yard.

She can’t sleep with her windows open because there are people yelling outside. The authorities are called at least once a day, she added.

McFadyen said she has witnessed fights and other such behaviour. She added there is a lot of public drinking in the area.

She said she has contacted the Yukon government to ask about its plan for the Whitehorse Shelter, formerly known as the Centre of Hope when it was operated by the Salvation Army.

She said there was no response from the government.

McFadyen clarified that she is compassionate toward anyone who needs the shelter, but feels something needs to change to make the area safer.

Mike Travill, who operates Mike’s New and Used on Fourth Avenue, said he too sympathizes with the shelter’s clients. He feels that people come downtown for companionship and to satisfy their addictions.

He worries about the shelter because the area has no outside footprint. He pointed out that it takes up the entire lot, leaving no private space outside to congregate in. This means, Travill said, the shelter’s clients have to be outside in public.

He asked for council to not put out benches, tables and trees because it would make the area more attractive for the homeless to come and “hang out.”

Régent Therrien, the owner of an office building, said there are problems in a back alley between Alexander and Black Streets. He said he called politicians, as well as the RCMP – to no avail. He believes this beautification plan is pointless.

“It was a total waste of time,” Therrien said.

He said he picks up garbage every morning. Sometimes there is enough to fill a five gallon bucket.

He pointed out that picnic tables were removed from the area, which solved most of the problems, but didn’t eliminate them.

Therrien warned that this project would give people a place to go and party, and argued this is not the way to go.

He said he has seen people passed on on benches, having sex on tables and defecating in public.

Therrien feels Whitehorse does need beautification, just not on Alexander Street. He believes it would be better to get the homeless jobs instead.

Coun. Steve Roddick asked Therrien some questions. He wanted to know if he’d received a local improvement charge notification in the mail and if he’d participated in the city’s related online survey and open house.

Therrien said he’d received the notification. He added that he was the only person to show up at the open house, and he submitted a response.

Joyce Mickey, who owns a home on Alexander Street, said the homeless problem in the area has been around for a long time.

She also believes the beautification project is a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Mickey stressed she is not against beautification, but is worried that more beautification would not last because the trees and plants already in the area have been destroyed. She said people have sat on the vegetation, causing it to flatten, and have peeled the bark off trees.

“I don’t want to encourage people to sit around and loiter,” Mickey said.

She feels this would happen to any flowers or trees planted by the city.

Mickey added tourists are scared of the area and have called it an eyesore, She worries about what tourists say about Whitehorse when they go back home.

She suggested closing the offsales outlet across the street from the shelter, feeling it does not belong there.

“I am exhausted from the behaviour,” Mickey said.

Chad Harwood echoed these concerns, saying this project would make things worse. He encouraged the city to not pursue it.

David Meszaros lives in a suite in the area. He said he is concerned about the shelter clients congregating in the area. He has witnessed people yelling at each other and fighting.

Like the other speakers, Meszaros is not against beautification, but feels it’s not the right time for this project, and that more should be done to fix the current issues. He fears anything the city puts up would cause further degradation.

He explained that he chose to live in that neighbourhood. It’s close to his job so he can walk. That said, he claims to not feel safe in the area.

Sonja Hadvick, the last person to speak, owns a home in the area. She feels the congregations of people near the shelter are out of control, and that the project should not move forward.

“It’s disgusting,” Hadvick said.

James Tucker was on the list of delegates but he did not attend.

Later in the meeting, council considered awarding the contract.

According to the agenda, Lane’s Yukon Yardworks was deemed to have the necessary experience to complete the project. The city already has the money available, as it’s part of the capital budget.

Coun. Dan Boyd said he was reluctant to move forward after hearing the complaints, and asked administration what options are available.

Valerie Braga, the acting city manager, said council could defer a decision to a later meeting. She added that officials can review the contract and consider procurement law.

Coun. Samson Hartland said he felt the timing on this contract is off. He pointed out that the city has met with the territorial government, including the Department of Health and Social Services. The two governing bodies spoke on the issues referenced by each of the residents.

Hartland felt the proposal should be paused and the city should make sure residents are heard.

Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu agreed, pointing out that her daughter cannot walk in the Alexander Street area because she is scared.

Curteanu said the city does not have any control over the shelter, but it does over this project. She felt the city should look at it again, and that there should have been consultations.

Coun. Jan Stick agreed that the contract award should be postponed. She said there are problems that need to be addressed, and council should listen to the people. She hopes the city can find an effective solution.

Roddick, a downtown resident, felt this is not a case of residents not wanting this project in their backyard.

He said there is community engagement, but pointed out that next to no one participated in the process. He wants to to know why that is. He also asked how other municipalities dealt with similar issues.

Coun. Laura Cabott said it does not make sense to spend money on this project. She said the city may invite further unwanted behaviour by moving forward, and might have to do repairs to any of the items installed.

Cabott said it’s clear that people are frustrated, property has been destroyed, and there is illegal behaviour in the area. She felt everyone needs to come together to help find a solution.

Mayor Dan Curtis said all the residents expressed concerns and clearly showed empathy.

He added he could see that exasperation is taking over, and admitted he feels the same way.

He said this problem is evolving quickly and is hard to keep up with.

He too felt the contract should be paused, and the city should look at how to handle this.

He mentioned that it’s hard to rezone areas with regard to liquor sales outlets, and said this was why the city was so diligent on the locations of cannabis sales outlets.

Boyd moved to have the matter deferred to the first regular council meeting after council’s summer break this month. This would be in early September.

The motion passed unanimously.