(Today’s Northumberland file photo)
Robert Washburn’s so-called “interview” on Consider This with Ike Nwibe, Executive Director of 310 Division Street, was less journalism and more of a friendly platform for Ike to ramble unchallenged.
The community would appreciate an honest, investigative discussion about the closure of the warming and cooling hub—its impact, and the path forward—but what we got instead was vague rhetoric, question-dodging, and zero accountability.
There were no tough questions. Not one. What we heard were recycled catchphrases like “meet them where they’re at” and “all hands on deck,” with not a single concrete answer.
Here are just a few lowlights:
• Ike claimed the hub helped reduce people “roaming the streets”—but most residents witnessed the opposite: more visible drug use, more disorder, more fear.
• Asked about potential layoffs since the closing of the hub, he didn’t know. It’s been two weeks—why hasn’t the Executive Director figured that out yet?
• His explanation of “low barrier” shelters was absurd—linking it to mobility access, as if a ramp determines who gets admitted. Doesn’t low barrier refer to allowing people actively using illegal substances into the shelter?
• He openly admitted that the hub’s 310 clients could store drugs in lockers and retrieve them when leaving—meaning they walked out and consumed drugs in our parks, on our sidewalks, and near our businesses and schools. We all knew that.
• When asked how many clients would be affected by the hub’s closure, he gave a percentage—“70 to 75%”—but refused to provide a number. Why the vagueness? What’s he trying to hide?
• Ike referred to city shelters as models, ignoring the fact that Cobourg is not a city. We’re a small town, with limited space, resources, and budget. We simply cannot absorb the disorder that comes with a low-barrier approach at that location.
• When asked where people will now go for help, he offered no clear answers. One wonders—where were they getting help before 310 opened just seven months ago? What about MHeart? Northumberland Hills Hospital? And what help were they actually getting at 310, since it’s unclear what wrap-around services exist there?
• As for advice to a future warming/cooling hub, Ike offered his usual word salad: “Come together… homelessness isn’t one-size-fits-all…” Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about homelessness. It’s about criminal drug addicts—sometimes violent, often unpredictable—being mislabeled as homeless, without oversight or consequence.
Perhaps most frustrating of all was his claim that concerns raised at the June 17 Town Hall were “misinformation.” Seriously? He was present and heard (and saw) the community speak clearly and respectfully about the confirmed impacts on safety, local businesses, and public spaces. He even had the gall to refer to safety concerns as mere “comfort issues.” That level of dismissiveness is outrageous.
Ike also said that he hadn’t read Mayor Cleveland’s public letter. That claim lacks the “ring of truth.” If he’s lying about that, what else is he not telling us?
When finally asked about “bad apples” among 310’s clients, he dodged the question. Instead, he talked about their interest in art and music—ignoring the real, repeated concerns about illegal activity and safety.
On the potential for encampments? He shrugged it off with vague comments about a possible “spike in police reports.” Once again—no answers.
He also claimed that police and 310 security routinely transported people to the shelter. Based on my own observations, that’s false. Police would typically move them along, since the illegal drug users didn’t want to disrupt their drug activity by going to the shelter. Not once did I see a 310 security guard help a “client”, however I did see a couple idling in their cars, scrolling on their phones.
Finally, Ike claimed he hasn’t been able to put together a programming plan as he’s been “putting out fires” since taking the job 18 months ago—but never said what those fires were. If you’ve had that long and still can’t deliver, maybe it’s time to ask whether you’re the right person for the job.
This interview was a missed opportunity. It was all generalities and obfuscations. Cobourg residents deserved real answers—not a public relations monologue. The Cobourg community is not unsympathetic.
Most of us care about those who are truly homeless and want to help them. But we’re done being manipulated by euphemisms and guilt into accepting chaos under the false banner of compassion.
With the closing of the hub at 310 Division, the tax-paying, law-abiding residents of Cobourg are finally being considered.
Carol Leighton
— A Frustrated Resident
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
