While Riverside Mission wants to construct a 30-suite housing development to better serve the community, it will first have to ensure the zoning bylaw is amended so its project can proceed.
City council also wants to see the project go ahead and has taken the first steps to smooth the process.
During its Dec. 14 regular meeting, council voted unanimously to approve a zoning bylaw amendment application to change properties at 212 and 218 River Street West to C2 high-density commercial district from M1 light-industrial district. Council also authorized city administration to issue public notices to area businesses and prepare a new bylaw, while it will determine if an environmental assessment is favourable for commercial and residential development.
Project outline
Souls Harbour Rescue Mission — which operates Riverside Mission — wants to redevelop both properties on River Street and construct a three-storey, 2,047.5-square metre (22,750-square-foot) building with 24 affordable housing units and six suites for addiction programming.
Across the three floors, there will be a 5,000-square-foot food and distribution centre, a new Riverside Mission, a full commercial kitchen, a dining space that converts into an emergency shelter, community offices and board rooms. Other services will include employment training, high school and post-secondary education, and ministry opportunities.
Serving vulnerable people
Joe Miller, executive director of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission (SHRM), spoke to council about the $6-million project. He explained that after SHRM took over Riverside Mission in 2019, the organization knew that it wanted to replace the existing building on Manitoba Street West and have so much more.
“We have this vision of a community care centre,” he said. “We are a non-profit. We take care of society’s most vulnerable demographic. It’s what we do and it’s who we are.”
Besides rebuilding lives, it’s also positive that the organization is taking a piece of brownfield land and reclaiming it for another purpose, Miller continued. After purchasing the property, SHRM demolished the building that was there.
Souls Harbour has pushed back the timeline of when it plans to start construction, he said. It had planned to start next spring, which is what a federal funding program demanded. However, the organization withdrew from that program and instead will start construction in 2022. This will give council more time to address the zoning issue.
“We’re very excited. We know what we accomplished in Regina (with a new Souls Harbour building). We can do the same thing here … ,” said Miller. “We have a lot to offer the community.”
Council reaction
This is an exciting project, while it’s also positive that Souls Harbour has demolished an “eyesore of a building” on the River Street property, said Coun. Heather Eby. She wondered how the organization would dispose of the current Riverside Mission building when the new centre opens.
Souls Harbour plans to keep its options open, said Miller, but both buildings are 100 years old.
“I don’t like old buildings. They cost you more money in the long-run and they are a bit of an eyesore,” he added. “The facility we built in Regina replaced the existing property. This will do the same and add more (amenities).”
There is a level of urgency to this and a need in the community, said Coun. Crystal Froese. There is no place for homeless residents to go when the weather turns cold.
“We see them hang out in the library and art museum to stay warm. There is definitely an urgent need here,” she added.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Jan. 11, 2021.
