Some Ogden area residents are concerned about the former Hells Angels clubhouse on Heron Street possibly being rezoned to house a community group, with some residents saying the area would be safer with biker gang tenants.
Evergreen A United Neighbourhood is looking to add community health and resource centre to the list of permitted uses for the former clubhouse at 139 Heron Street, which is currently zoned as residential.
The rezoning amendment is up for approval at Monday’s council meeting.
The city received 14 letters of objection to the rezoning with most people having concerns about parking congestion, property values and increase in property damage.
Jack and Lois Adams, of Heron Street, fear the centre will attract more transients and vagrants and there will be an increase in youth crime. They also feel the area was safer and cleaner when the Hells Angels were in the neighbourhood.
Many others including Patricia Anderson, Helen Keates and Clem and Mary-Anne Hamel feel there are already enough community services in the area and Evergreen isn’t needed.
The building has been a part of the neighbourhood for more than 100 years. It first opened as a corner store but over the years the building changed hands to the biker gang Satan’s Choice in the ’80s before becoming the clubhouse for the Hells Angels in 2001.
A joint police raid led to the seizure of the biker gang’s former clubhouse in 2006. It was seized by the Ministry of the Attorney General in 2007. Evergreen was given the building about a year ago, but having been waiting for the rezoning before officially making the building their new home.
Evergreen coordinator Linda Bruins said she’s not surprised by the backlash, but is disappointed. However, everyone has the right to their opinion, she said.
“We certainly try to meet with our neighbours and be respectful of parking, property values,” she said.
“We are neighbours here, too. We are certainly not there to disrupt the people that live on this street. That has never been our intent at all.”
Evergreen is a grassroots organization with the aim of making the Ogden-Simpson area a clean, safe and healthy neighbourhood. They plan to use the clubhouse for a place to store their records and hold small community meetings.
Some letters of objection stated fears of the building becoming a drop-in centre, but Bruins said they run their drop-in program for youth at Minnesota Park. She’s heard from people living near the park how they’ve appreciated the work Evergreen has done to ensure it’s kept clean.
“They haven’t found any needles there for three years. There’s less broken glass; there’s generally more people using it, enjoying that park space,” Bruins said. “I’d like to think we can do the same thing on this corner – improve what’s here, by the neighbours working together to make the neighbourhood a clean, safe, healthy space.”
The organization plans to create three parking spaces in the backyard and Bruins doesn’t believe parking will be an issue as there is parking available on McKenzie Street.
Bruins added they aren’t looking to bulldoze their way through the neighbourhood, but to work with each neighbour, one at a time. Most of their program ideas have come from area residents, including the drop-in program at Minnesota Park.
While the city received letters opposing the rezoning, they also received 11 letters of support from community members and organizations, including the Thunder Bay Crime Prevention Council, the NorWest Community Health Centre and Regional Multicultural Youth Centre.
Judi Nelson Childs, capacity developer with the Ontario Native Women’s Association, also wrote a letter of support and said she can’t imagine why anyone would oppose Evergreen moving into the former clubhouse.
“I find that very surprising,” she said, adding Evergreen transformed their former location from a dingy shell into a welcoming space.
“I think the former clubhouse had many negative associations in the neighbourhood and Linda’s group, it will be a very positive and welcoming presence in the neighbourhood,” she said. “The neighbourhood will wonder how they ever got along without Evergreen.”
An additional 12 agencies throughout the city wrote letters indicating no objections to the zoning amendment and Evergreen submitted a petition with 415 signatures of support from area residents, including 200 neighbours, 100 college students and 100 high school students.
If the amendment is approved Monday night, Evergreen will be working with students from Confederation College's architecture and construction programs to convert the building into a more community-friendly house that blends into the neighbourhood, said Bruins.
“I’m curious to see what the students come up,” she said. “I’m excited to see what the potential is.”
