'They can be safe': Boyle Street eyes old Remand Centre for new service centre
SYSTEM / METRO WEB UPLOAD
Rendering of the former Remand Centre as the new community centre.
Boyle Street Community Services has their eye on the former Edmonton Remand Centre for their new community centre, which they envision as a one-stop shop for inner city supports.
Although they submitted a proposal to the provincial government six weeks ago, they officially presented it publicly at the Edmonton Police Commission public meeting on Thursday, at their request.
Edmonton Police Service Chief Rod Knecht said they were impressed with the proposal to consolidate services like detox, mental health and healthcare for the homeless, all in one place at a repurposed Remand Centre.
The site would also offer a central location for supervised consumption services.
“It has a lot of things that we as a police service has advocated for, probably the last five years,” he said. “The homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill, we wanted to keep them out of the criminal justice, it’s a concept I find it very interesting.”
The top floor of the building would house 100 people, with the areas below offering services like a 24-hour shower and laundry, and drop-in centre facilities. That way "people don’t have to be vulnerable out on the streets at night. They can be safe,” said Julian Daly, executive director of Boyle Street Community Services.
The new centre would also offer healing and services to those still experiencing trauma whether directly or intergenerationally from residential school system.
“We feel that it’s an act of reconciliation in action… we also want to have private space where there is opportunity for ceremony right at the heart of the city,” Daly said. “In many ways both in terms of actions and services, in design, culture is honoured and needs of many Indigenous people will be met completely.”
