Measures to appease the fears of residents who have been vocal surrounding the new supervised injection site in Saint-Henri were visible on the opening day of the Benoît Labre day centre.
The contentious day centre and transitional housing project in the Montreal neighbourhood officially opened its doors Monday despite immense scrutiny from residents.
The newly built centre, which welcomed its first guests, is being seen as a safe haven for people experiencing homelessness in the area and beyond.
Situated right next to a school and park, the location of the site has sparked controversy and concern among parents.
Some parents, like Jean-Francois Gauvin, say they are moving because of their concern over safety.
“I have two kids and I don’t want my kids to be there, that’s why we are moving to a new school,” Gauvin said.
Several efforts have been put in place to ease the transition.
Twice a day the newly introduced cleanliness brigade will be deployed, sweeping up the streets surrounding the area and picking up any dangerous drug paraphernalia that may be found.
A school corridor has also been established with crossing guards to ensure students can walk to and from school.
Borough official Craig Sauvé admits it will take time to ease the fears of residents but argues the societal need for such a service is great.
“I understand completely the concerns of the neighbourhood,” Sauvé said.
“There will be people here that are not in the best condition, for sure. But the idea as a society, as a community is to try to help people get into safe environments and have organized lives.”
Faced with construction delays, Sauvé says the centre’s configuration and look will be a lot different once it is completed.
Working closely with municipal officials, housing project staff say all efforts will be kept up and modified if need be to ensure a harmonious space for all residents of the area.
“There a lot more projects like this on the way, hopefully. They are needed in the city to address the growing problem of homelessness,” Sauvé said.