The old North Island Gazette office might get a facelift if the Salvation Army gets the greenlight on its project.
The Salvation Army submitted a development permit for 7305 Market Street to the District of Port Hardy council. Mayor and council then met on Sept. 5 and approved the development permit to renovate the building in a special council meeting.
The permit allows for renovations to the building and the Salvation Army is planning to add a peaked roof. The peaked roof would allow for an elevator, if the Salvation Army receives enough funding to construct one in the building.
The renovations will keep “the style and characteristics of the building’s original style of construction,” a district staff report states. No changes will be made to the exterior of the building, except for the roof addition.
Renovations are in preparation for what is hoped to be an 18-bed shelter for homeless persons and those struggling with addictions or mental issues.
Michael Winter, Community Ministries Supervisor for Salvation Army’s Lighthouse Resource Centre, explained that the permit was one of many steps in the process and that the organization was doing its due diligence by following the steps.
The shelter project is dependant on sources of funding that will determine whether it becomes a reality or not.
In the development permit application, it states that the “purchase and plans to further develop the 7305 Market Street building is a direct response from a desire to meet community needs.”
The Community Safety & Wellness Committee acknowledged in the application that the number one priority for the North Island is public intoxication.
Port Hardy RCMP’s second quarterly report recorded 126 incidents involving public intoxication. In its first report of the year, the incidents were nearly one-third of 126 incidents, sitting at only 49 instances between January to March.
RELATED: Port Hardy RCMP’s second quarterly report
Winter further explained that “the renovations made to the 7305 Market Street building will remedy and be part of a holistic solution that addresses the co-occurring social problems this township and region currently faces.”
“There needs to be more direct access to a safe place for intoxicated and at-risk individuals,” he noted. “It has been an outspoken topic of concern whose voices include Port Hardy citizens, the district, business owners, RCMP …”
He concluded by saying that the Salvation Armys wants to “develop that building for community needs.”
While the project has already received council’s approval, it remains too early in the process to speculate whether the project will reach sufficient funding or not to become fully realized, but Winter is hopeful.