'Not my problem': Wetaskiwin woman organizing fight against permanent homeless shelter

Debby Hunker has had enough of crime and drugs in Wetaskiwin.

So she has dubbed herself the "mouthpiece" and "the lead singer" of a fight against a new homeless shelter in her hometown, about 50 kilometres south of Edmonton.

"We are a city of under 13,000 people and they want to put a shelter that has the potential of 147 beds here. We can’t handle that," Hunker said.

"We're losing businesses because of the crime rate. I've been a victim of theft as well in my own yard. That is what started all of this."

Hunker made those comments Thursday night, after dozens of community members gathered for a meeting organized by her group called Wake Up Wetaskiwin.

She is adamant that the Hope Mission's proposal to build a new permanent shelter in a commercial area near her home be stopped.

"People ask me, 'Where are they going to go? What are we going to do?' It sounds maybe a little bit heartless to say, that's not my problem," Hunker told reporters.

"I'm not saying that I don't care. I'm saying that I can't have all of the answers. None of us have all of the answers."

Hope Mission has been operating a temporary shelter at the same site since last October.

Its community engagement official and chaplain also attended the meeting. He said many in the crowd also came to support the project.

"It's good for us to hear the concerns so we can adjust what we're doing and try to benefit the community," Kelly Row said.

"People can come to the shelter and have a tour and a visit anytime they want. And we want to make sure they get the information from the source rather than the rumours that fly around town."

One of the criticisms from opponents, which Row called a rumour, is that the shelter is attracting lots of vulnerable people from out of town.

Mark McFaul, a former city councillor in Wetaskiwin, believes it's true.

"We went to Camrose, shopping, on the weekend. We watched two people dragging suitcases down Highway 13 coming towards Wetaskiwin. Guess where we saw them later in the day?" he told CTV News Edmonton, referring to the shelter.

"I don't think Wetaskiwin can support this type of shelter. You drive by a shelter in Edmonton, it looks like a war zone. Well, that's what we're going to have here and this is a small community."
 

Hope Mission's temporary shelter in Wetaskiwin, Alta. on November 17, 2023. (David Ewasuk/CTV News Edmonton)

Row said they've limited out of town admissions and believes Wetaskiwin is a better place because of the help they're providing.

On top of the shelter, Hope Mission Wetaskiwin also provides in-school lunches, after-school care as well as gardening and horse-riding programs.

"We are not trying to build a facility so we can draw the masses. We want to help the people in this area, the ones that are struggling here," he said.

Zane McArthur, a resident of the city for two years, said he supports the idea of a permanent shelter but not the proposed location. He believes it will contribute to "exponential crime."

"It's silly. They're putting it right in the middle of the entire retail section of the city, when there is a lot of viable land all around this place," he said.

After two public hearings were held earlier this year, Wetaskiwin councillors unanimously approved a development permit for the new shelter in May.

Row explained that because Hope Mission is seeking to amend that permit, the matter will again be before city council on Dec. 11.

A City of Wetaskiwin spokesperson suggested stopping the project altogether, at this point, is unlikely.

"If council decided to reverse its decision and revoke the development permit or attempt to withdraw the land donation, there could be potential massive liability to the city in the form of payment due to Hope Mission," Deputy Mayor Gabrielle Blatz told CTV News Edmonton.

"Additionally, reversing the decision to donate the land could potentially discourage future co-operation and funding from the province."

Blatz explained that the proposal includes transitional housing and space for counselling and mental health services on top of the emergency shelter already being provided.

"Council has heard for years from the community that Wetaskiwin needs a comprehensive viable solution with robust supports for the local vulnerable population," she wrote.

Blatz added that citizens are always encouraged to speak with their mayor and councillors.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nav Sangha and David Ewasuk