By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The Cobourg Warming Room and Respite Centre described in glowing terms by Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland to Northumberland County council colleagues last week bore little resemblance to the one he described to his Cobourg council colleagues at Wednesday’s meeting.
Cleveland said last week that he’d worked with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction to ensure staffing and services for the most vulnerable. This week, he said all he wanted was a room and a security guard for the daytime hours, because basically that’s all the county is providing at its overnight warming room.
The mayor fielded a lengthy motion to direct staff to begin the process, with the intention of locating it on the upper floor of Building 18 just south of the Cobourg Community Centre on D’Arcy Street, with a budget of $30,000.
“A respite centre typically includes meals and basic health supports, some connection with the community,” Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty pointed out.
“I am not looking for anything more than the county provides – a room, a security guard, some drinks,” Cleveland retorted.
“That’s good enough for our social service providers, so why isn’t it good enough for us?”
Councillors brought up a number of issues with Building 18.
Brian Darling pointed out its proximity to the CCC.
“If I was homeless and I had to be there, I wouldn’t be there – I’d be at the CCC. We are just going to move the problem from here to the CCC, and there will just be a litany of problems in that area,” Darling said.
Councillor Miriam Mutton pointed out that the lower floor is mostly occupied by the Victorian Order of Nurses day program, which serves some 40 very vulnerable seniors, many of them with cognitive impairments.
Director of Development Chris Challenger outlined some of the work that will be required in that spot, which has been unused for some time. The mayor pointed out, however, that funds from the Northam Park reserve could be used for some of this work and, in the end, it would amount to the town taking care of an asset.
And one of his reasons in choosing that spot, he added, was that it is not in a residential area.
At county council last week, Cleveland claimed not to know if this would require an exemption to the town’s Emergency Care Establishment bylaw. Municipal Clerk Brent Larmer said that it would, and that its operation would have to adhere to all the bylaw conditions regarding things like litter pick-up, security patrols and a code of conduct.
“A room with a security guard – that’s what the social service manager of the region deems is appropriate. Why are we trying to do anything else?” Cleveland reiterated.
