|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
March 19, 2004 | |
Author: |
Diane MacKenzie | |
Phone No.: |
604.257.3870 | |
RTS No.: |
4090 | |
CC File No.: |
4659 | |
Meeting Date: |
April 20, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director of Gathering Place |
SUBJECT: |
Extension of Hours at Gathering Place |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the extension of opening hours at the Gathering Place to include Sundays. The estimated annual cost is $82,000 (2002 collective bargaining agreement rates) for additional staffing (prorated to $47,800 for fiscal 2004). Source of funds for 2004 is the Contingency Reserve. Future years funding to be added to the Community Services operating budget without offset.
B. THAT staff report back on the Sunday opening in mid 2005 with additional recommendations for the extension of hours at the Gathering Place.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of recommendations A and B.
COUNCIL POLICY
There is no applicable Council Policy.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council approval for the Gathering Place to open on Sundays and requests additional funds for staffing the Sunday opening.
BACKGROUND
As part of the preparation for the 2004 operating budget, Gathering Place staff submitted an initiative to open the centre on Sundays. This initiative was supported by Community Services management, referred to the 2004 operating budget by the City Management Team and subsequently included in the 2004 Interim budget report submitted to Council March 9, 2004.
DISCUSSION
The Downtown South community has always been a magnet for newcomers to the city, particularly for the disadvantaged, and for youth. The close proximity to SRO hotels, the opportunities for panhandling, the bars, and an availability of drugs in the area all contribute to an active "street scene". There are long time "strolls" and "Boys town", and though some of the new condo owners complain, these prostitution activities have been in place far longer than the housing developments. These days there are more people in the downtown core, some of them very streetwise and some redirected from Downtown Eastside. In addition, there are the youth awaiting services from Union Gospel Mission and Street Youth Services, two relatively new agencies on the Seymour/Helmcken corner. There are growing numbers of homeless, many of whom sleep in doorways or in underground parking sites.
The Gathering Place has provided community leadership in working with other agencies such as the Union Gospel Mission, Street Youth Services, New Continental Seniors' Housing, Easy Park, and the Vancouver Police Department in an attempt to keep a lid on the camping and other outside street activities in and around the Helmcken and Seymour area. When the Gathering Place is closed, street activity intensifies causing concerns for the immediate community. Seniors are hassled entering and exiting the New Continental. They are threatened and subject to "campers" begging for money and trying to take over their lobby. Recently the windows were shot out of New Continental suites. Residents of Helmcken House, next door to the Gathering Place, are frightened. For example, two residents were recently evicted from their suite by men who visited and took over for the weekend. The alley between the Gathering Place and Helmcken House has become a place to deal drugs and to smoke crack. "Crystal meth" has become the drug of choice for the City's youth. It's inexpensive, and takes away feelings of hunger. For someone with no place to live, this drug is a likely companion, keeping its user awake through the long night time hours. The side effects are frightening - paranoia, psychosis, permanent brain damage.
The Gathering Place collects rudimentary data when patrons buy their annual membership. Note is taken of birth date, sex, and address. Membership is up 20% in the past two years, and in 2003 we noted 285 more members reporting "no fixed address". Consultation with Board members of the Gathering Place and other community stakeholders support Sunday openings. There are no funds to extend hours in the Health Centre (provincially funded) or the Learning Centre (funded by the Vancouver School Board) or the Library (funded by the City) at this time. The library service provided by the Gathering Place is managed in house and is not part of the Vancouver Public Library.
Opening on Sundays would be a valuable service to Gathering Place patrons, and the community. At this time it is unclear how many patrons would use the facility on Sunday, but anything the Gathering Place can do to support the community and help keep a lid on the street scene is encouraged. Staff believes the extension of hours should be undertaken in segments, beginning in 2004 with Sunday openings. This time next year, the Gathering Place can report back on the successes and the difficulties of extending these hours, and make recommendations regarding the hours of operation and services delivered to the community.
Sunday opening hours at the facility would be the same as the rest of the week, ten hours, 10 am to 8 pm. Staffing costs for the opening of the facility on Sunday are based on providing essential services to patrons, such as the kitchen. The largest component of the staffing costs is to provide security attendants for the day (three security staff scheduled at all times for a total of 32 hours). The facility operates in what is a highly volatile and risky 'street scene', therefore, the same security presence would be required on Sundays as is currently scheduled for the other six days of the week. Security is required to cover three floors, monitor washrooms, deal with drug trafficking, drug use and fights.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The opening of the Gathering Place on Sundays will increase the staffing costs for the centre by an estimated $82,000 annually (based on 2002 collective bargaining agreement rates).With an anticipated Sunday opening date in June /early July, the prorated costs for fiscal 2004 are estimated to be $47,800. Staffing costs may increase pending collective bargaining rate increases.
ANNUAL Staffing Cost Estimate:
Security Attendant I $38,600
BSW $11,600
Cook 1 $10,100
Kitchen Attendant II $16,700 (2 staff - Breakfast / Cashier)
Sunday Programming $5,000
Total $82,000
CONCLUSION
At the time the Gathering Place opened (March 1995), Council indicated that a short weekly schedule was appropriate, with an extension of hours taking place over the years. At this time, a growing homeless population plus increasing difficulty in the community make it appropriate for an extension of hours, specifically a Sunday opening, to take place.
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