A homeless shelter will operate out of Grace Church in Port Coquitlam in cold January despite heated opposition from some area residents.
Several people spoke against the initiative at a public input opportunity at Monday's PoCo council meeting, telling council the 30-day program would increase crime and make the area less safe.
"I think our faith is lost," said Kathleen Watson, who lives near the church. "I don't want it in my neighbourhood at all."
Most of council, however, was unswayed. After adding a series of amendments, including a requirement that the shelter operator meet with residents weekly, the motion passed, with councillors Darrell Penner and Dean Washington voting against the resolution.
Many of the people who spoke at Monday's meeting attended a similar public input opportunity last summer when a six-month shelter was up for renewal at Grace for the 2013/'14 fall/winter period. The bridge shelter had operated the previous winter and many people said it led to an influx of homeless people in the area.
In the end, council voted against the six-month option in July, forcing shelter operator Hope for Freedom Society to return to the cold/wet weather mat program model.
Under the mat program framework, the shelter rotates between churches every month and homeless people are picked up by bus from various points and driven to the host facility.
Hope for Freedom director Rob Thiessen said going back to the mat program alleviates many of the concerns put forward by residents. Shelter clients will not be able to walk up to a shelter on their own, he noted, and they will be bused out of the area in the morning.
He urged council to allow the shelter to operate this winter, saying January was the only month that his organization had not been able to fill.
"My hope is that we can go forward and complete our program for this year and next, and provide some positive results for people that desperately need it," Thiessen said.
He also apologized to neighbours who felt the shelter operators had been bad neighbours last year.
But most residents at the meeting were undeterred by Thiessen's comments.
Wendy Lachance told council that she plans on selling her condo in January and a shelter in the area would harm her property value.
Darlene Shaw, who lives near the church, spoke against people who accused residents in the area of fear-mongering about the homeless, saying they have a right to be against the proposal.
"I don't think that is fear mongering," she said. "That is a valid reason for us to be concerned."
Several councillors expressed disappointment that the relationship between residents and the shelter operators had deteriorated so badly.
Washington said while every neighbourhood has to do its part to help those in need, the residents around Grace Church were already made promises that were not kept.
Penner concurred with Washington, saying he would be in favour of the shelter if it were setup in a different part of the municipality.
"I'm a very conservative investor," he said. "When I see an investment that isn't working, I like to change it. This investment hasn't worked well."