THUNDER BAY – Current River candidates Andrew Foulds, Duff Stewart and Andy Wolff might not agree on everything, but they do agree something needs to be done with the former Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital property.
With a growing homeless problem in the city and encampments popping up in local neighbourhoods, the now-closed facility, or the property on which it sits, could become a huge part of the solution, each candidate said.
However, Foulds, Stewart and Wolff do differ in their approach.
Wolff is a firm believer that with some work, the building could be repurposed and used to house the city’s entire homeless population, which has grown to nearly 700 in recent years.
Wouldn’t that be great, Wolff asked.
“There are issues with [the building], but anything can be done. It’s a solid building and if we could get it recirculated so it can become functional again, why not? That could house all the homeless in that building,” he said.
Stewart said there are two trains of thought – use the building that’s already there and adapt it into something to house the homeless, or utilize the large swath of provincially-owned property surrounding the LPH to house people.
“We got rid of Dawson Court. Now, if we look at the LPH, if we bulldozed it and built affordable housing on that land, it would be the perfect choice. It’s a nice central location in our residential area and it’s close to shopping and other things,” Stewart said.
“It would really work well. It would require some negotiations between the province and the city.”
Stewart, who spent time on city council in Lloydminster, Alta., said their solution was something called zero lot lines, property offered to potential homeowners at a $10,000 discount, with the caveat that if they turned around and sold it, the discount had to be paid back to the city.
Foulds, a four-term councillor seeking a fifth term on Oct. 24, said it’s a phenomenal piece of property with huge potential, but he also fought to save the green space at the back of the expansive property and doesn’t necessarily want to see that go away.
“In terms of the front part, and the already developed part of the LPH, I think it should be developed. There’s no question. It’s a big lawn, it’s taking up space. It has infrastructure. It should be developed. Now what that development looks like? Well, the province owns it,” Foulds said.
“Are there potential community benefits? Absolutely. But I’ll wait and see what the province does with the property as it unfolds.”
The facility itself may not be properly built to necessarily serve as housing for the homeless, he cautioned.
“I understand that it’s a building, but the building has configurations," he siad. "There’s asbestos, there’s lead, there’s all kinds of things that really, do we want to put people in there?"
"I’d actually like to see the province knock it down, which would cost a lot of money, and a new facility be built where you have state-of-the art facilities and you could partner with community groups.".
