The City of Meadow Lake appears to agree there’s no place like home. During the regular meeting of Meadow Lake city council held Monday (Oct. 6), approval was given to a request from the Meadow Lake Homeplate Shelter Coalition Corp. to extend the operating permit for the temporary emergency shelter located at 215 1st St. East for a six-month period commencing Oct. 16, 2025. This means the shelter will effectively remain open for the entire year, as, upon the amendment coming into effect, the operating permit will be deemed to have an expiry date of Oct. 15, 2026.
“A zoning amendment bylaw was approved by council Dec. 12, 2022, and set the regulations for the approval and operation of a temporary emergency shelter,” explained planning and development manager Neil Marsh in his official recommendation to council. “The subsequent years of its operation appear to have proven the shelter’s value, not just to the individuals who directly benefit, but to the wider community. Providing a safe refuge and other supporting services to homeless persons does appear to support the strategic plan objective of better community safety, and this assessment is supported by correspondence presented during previous permit.” The amendment approved Monday revises the rules of operation for temporary emergency shelters. “The revision of significance to this recommendation is operating permits will expire annually, rather than after six months,” Marsh noted. “This will allow the shelter greater flexibility in its operations, and will reduce the number of requests to council for permit extensions while still giving council an essential level of oversight. Continued operation of the shelter depends on renewal of the operating permit by resolution of council, and this is the request presented here.”
Letters of notice were sent to property owners within 75 metres of the site as required by the bylaw, with plenty of time for those who were sent letters to receive them prior to the postal strike taking effect on Sept. 25. According to city manager Amanda Flasch, two letters were received by local residents on the shelter matter. One such letter was written by Holly Wassing. “Canada’s National Housing Strategy recognizes housing as a fundamental human right,” Wassing wrote. “Housing is essential to the inherent dignity and well-being of the person… I have lived in this community for 16 years and care deeply about the well-being and safety of our residents. Seeing unhoused individuals around town reminds me every day how fortunate I have been not to have had to deal with any of the factors leading to homelessness such as eviction, job loss, domestic violence or other.”
The second letter writer, Kimberly Bundschuh – who resides across from the shelter — did not speak as favourable about the facility, however. “We bought the property from my grandparents, Walter and Norma Svandrlik,” Bundschuh stated. “Walter and Norma lived at that residence for 50 years and had no trouble or vandalism all the time they resided there. In the last five years we have owned the property, we have had graffiti on our shop walls, broken windows, people entering our yard site, going through the garbage and recycling bins, as well as inebriated individuals passed out across the street on the church ramp and lawn at the shelter… We have recently decided to list our property for sale due to these reasons… We do know we have a need for a shelter, just wish it wasn’t right next to us.” Meanwhile, Bill Sclater, representing Homeplate, was in attendance for Monday’s meeting at which time he provided a quick verbal note regarding the importance of homeless shelters and year-round operation in supporting individuals, and referenced back to previous communications provided by Homeplate to the city regarding the importance of their organization and shelter operation. The amendment was ultimately approved.