Dry Bell Hotel up for debate

Dry Bell Hotel up for debate

Feds ‘prefer’ no booze in new homeless shelter

By PAUL TURENNE, Winnipeg Sun
There was a bit of intergovernmental controversy Friday at what was otherwise a good-news announcement related to homelessness in downtown Winnipeg.

The federal government, the province and the city, through its arm’s-length CentreVenture development corporation, are all contributing to the $6-million makeover of the 104-year-old Bell Hotel, which will be transformed from a skid-row hotel to a 42-unit supported living complex for the homeless and those at risk of becoming so.

However, the parties publicly disagreed Friday about whether the facility should allow alcohol.

Winnipeg MP Steven Fletcher, who was representing the federal government at the launch, surprised the crowd by proclaiming that the feds prefer such facilities to be dry.

“It’s our preference, not an absolute statement. There are other stakeholders,” Fletcher later clarified, noting Ottawa is not threatening to pull its $2.7-million funding and is committed to proceeding on the project.

Nevertheless, Fletcher suggested his government will at least continue to press the issue.

“It’s our preference that it’s dry. I guess that debate can occur,” he said.

The provincial Tories released a statement Friday supporting the position of their federal Conservative counterparts.

However, provincial Housing Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross said she felt Fletcher was just expressing his opinion and as far as she’s concerned, alcohol will be allowed at the complex.

“It’s not a dry facility. The individuals who live in these homes will have the same rights as any other tenant would have,” she said. “Our position is get them in a home and stabilize them, then we can help them with other issues.”

Ross McGowan, CEO of CentreVenture, said Fletcher’s statement was the first talk he’s heard of the Bell being dry, but declined to comment any further.

The renovated facility, which will retain the old Bell Hotel name, is expected to open by May or June 2011.

grumpy old man wrote:The most likely found-ins will be peeps with addition problems IMO. If some folks are attempting to turn that part of their life around will allowing alcohol on the premises make it more difficult?