UPDATE: Kingston Councillor wants location of proposed homeless shelter removed from consideration

A motion to take the Sydenham Rd. location off the list is being presented to Council Tuesday night.

UPDATE: The motion has been deferred to a later date. The councillor who moved the motion is sick and will not be present at the meeting.

ORIGINAL STORY:

One Kingston City Councillor is having second thoughts about a proposed homeless shelter.

Paul Chaves is planning to present a motion at Tuesday's meeting that calls for the City to reconsider a 30 to 45-bed shelter to be built on a property on Sydenham Rd. next to the Cataraqui Cemetery.

The motion reads that while the city is facing a homeless crisis, residents living near the proposed site have expressed their concerns at a recent public meeting.

They include potential negative impacts from encampments, drug use, and violent behavour.

Chaves is asking staff to remove the Sydenham Rd. location from consideration and to find alternative uses for the property.

The City is looking to replace the current shelter on Cowdy Street.

Council had approved the purchase of the land on Sydenham for $2.45 million plus $65,000 in closing costs at their meeting on May 6.

Story by Ken Hashizume