Interim Sober Shelter

At the direction of City Council, the City of Lethbridge is investigating the creation of an interim sober shelter in a portion of the former Civic Curling Centre. The City wants to hear from you on what can be done to make this a successful project for the entire community.

The public engagement for this project has now concluded. A summary of public engagement can be found in the project's What We Heard Report.

On November 29, 2022, City Council voted unanimously to rescind previous direction to apply for a development permit for this site and instead continue to explore this, and other possible sites. More information on this Council meeting can be found in the newsfeed.

PROJECT ARCHIVE

The City is asking for your input in the areas over which it has oversight and jurisdiction and is committed to:

• Gathering community feedback into a what we heard report;
• Incorporating as much of the feedback as possible to guide next steps including but not limited to:
  1. Neighbourhood communications plan;
  2. Site and building designs; and,
  3. Lease agreement terms with a potential operator.

The funding and operation of social housing falls within the jurisdiction of the Government of Alberta.

You can give us your feedback in-person or online:

Project Background

What is being proposed?

The City is proposing to change the use of a portion of the former Civic Curling Centre at located at 905 6 Ave S. This change in use would be granted on a temporary basis for a set period of time. The result of this change of use in a portion of the building, would be to accommodate an interim sober shelter rather than a Sports and Recreation Facility.

What do we mean when we say shelter?

A shelter is defined in our Land Use Bylaw as: “development providing emergency overnight accommodation that may include kitchen and dining facilities, showers and bathrooms, relaxation areas and laundry facilities” 

Why is this being proposed?

On Aug 9, City Council directed city staff to prepare a plan and apply for development approval for an interim shelter at the Civic Ice Centre.

Who would own and who would operate this space?

The City of Lethbridge will be the owner, applicant, and project coordinator. An operator would be selected by the Government of Alberta.

What is the process for reviewing this project?

The City will need to apply for a development permit for a change of use for this property. The property’s current P-B (Public Building) zoning allows shelter as a discretionary use. However, this process requires public notification.

Once a complete application has been submitted, and prior to a decision being made the Development Officer will notify landowners within a minimum of 60m of the property, and a decision will be made within 40 days.

Once a decision on this application has been made, the public will be notified via an advertisement in the Lethbridge Herald, and on the City website in the public notifications section.

The decision may be appealed to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board up to 21 days after the advertisement in the Lethbridge Herald. Details will be included in the advertisement.