Svjetlana mlinarevic

Svjetlana Mlinarevic

Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune

2015

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It was a blow that hit HIV North like a hammer Tuesday when the City of Grande Prairie’s community growth committee unanimously denied the organization’s application for a discretionary use development permit to redesignate its office as a community outreach facility.

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“It’s pretty upsetting actually that we don’t have the support of the community when we’ve been an organization that’s been around since 1987,” said Susan Belcourt-Rothe, executive director of HIV North.

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The not-for-profit offers awareness, services, education, and support in regard to HIV. It signed a $4,000 a month lease at 9607-102 Street on Aug.1 and moved in Sept. 1. Upon moving in, the organization was made aware that it had to apply for a discretionary use permit.

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“When we moved into the building we were unaware that a change to the building usage was required, once aware we applied for permission,” said Belcourt-Rothe.

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Under the current land use bylaw, HIV North is located in a Commercial Transition District. The only place where a community outreach facility may be established in the city is in a Public Service designated area. All the current Public Service areas are occupied by city offices, Alberta Health and Services offices, and other provincial offices. City administration’s report stated there is a shortage of available properties for not-for-profits downtown.

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The redesignation was supported by city administration, RCMP, Canadian Mental Health Association, and Alberta Health Services. The city received no rejection to the redesignation from the Downtown Association.

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The city received 11 letters against the proposed change and about 13 people came to Tuesday’s meeting to speak against the permit. Residents who attended the meeting cited a rise in crime, drugs, and garbage as reasons for not wanting HIV North near the Swanavon neighbourhood.

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“My concerns are criminal activity that has been enhanced,” said Scott Lissoway, who owns a business on 97 Avenue and 101 Street. “The uses of the land is what we’re trying to figure out. I don’t think you can separate the uses with the users.”

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Christine Juneau, who owns Indigo Boutique on 102 Street and 98 Avenue, was against the location of the HIV centre, and claimed that the city was using Swanavon, Avondale, and the downtown as a “dumping ground for drug addicts and people that don’t fit in anywhere.”

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Coun. Helen Rice moved the committee reject the application because “the intensification of a community outreach facility is adjacent to a residential area is not the best use or suitable use of the land.” Coun. Jackie Clayton, who chaired the meeting, added to Rice’s motion that the existing or future use of the surrounding land would also be affected by the approval.

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“It’s shocking actually that the public perception is that all we service is higher risk criminal individuals when we actually provide community-based education in schools and in the community. It’s a little shocking that that message wasn’t heard,” said Belcourt-Rothe. “HIV doesn’t have a face and that to me today felt like I was back in the 1980s.”

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Belcourt-Rothe said HIV North will appeal the committee’s decision to the subdivision appeal board and to the Provincial Court of Appeals if necessary.

“I will go to the court of appeals. Darn right. I will make sure that our board and our organization fights to be treated with equal rights as a community member and that our human rights are not infringed and those of our clients and our marginalized populations are not infringed,” she said.

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HIV North is funded by Alberta Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the City of Grande Prairie, and the United Way.