A controversy is brewing, once again, in the City of North Bay, over the best location and operational plan for a "warming centre" and "low barrier shelter" to serve unhoused residents. Coun. Mark King, chairman of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board, joins the Echo Essentials podcast with hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale to discuss the issue. King doesn't support a consultant's report that recommended having a "homeless hub" of such services within three blocks of the downtown area many homeless, often with mental health and addiction issues, receive medical, pharmaceutical and other support services. King said the experience of having the "warming centre" in a variety of locations these past few years informs his viewpoint. He said the negative consequences for those living nearby or operating businesses indicates is substantial.

Currently, the low barrier shelter is located beside the Northern Pines transitional housing project operating at the former OPP headquarters off Chippewa Street. That location is also problematic, he said, because of its close proximity to a high school, senior living centres and down the road to an elementary school and daycare. While open to the idea of a potential new location, he said the the Crisis Centre and Gathering Place soup kitchen warn of potential issues.

King wanted to come on the podcast after this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGo6vsKcvnU

Brent Kalinowski, North Bay's Community Safety and Well-Being Coordinator, joins Small Town Times editor Dave Dale and Between 2 Daves Co-Host Dave Mendicino to discuss his role, background and latest updates. A former police officer in Saskatchewan, Brent said he has believed for a long time there needs to be better community planning to deal with issues upstream so they don't fester into expensive and difficult to mend issues later. In the news most recently, the ad hoc council committee mandate was extended for another year. Some of the questions answer in this interview: How is Northern Pines and their transitional program doing to help people live independently? Where is the low barrier shelter component going to go? And is the Homeless Hub, recommended out of the DNSSAB homelessness study with a projected $2.6-million price tag, a cure for what ails the city?

See the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan information on the city website: https://northbay.ca/our-community/com...

See a BayToday story published this week about the Homeless Hub: https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/a-new-homeless-hub-near-downtown-north-bay-8907898