SHELTERS: What Was Troster Thinking?

Somerset Councillor Ariel Troster was in her finest form recently lending support to Kitchissippi Councillor Jeff Leiper’s motion that staff be given more power.

“That means if there is a piece of land for sale, they need to be able to buy it. If there is a building that can be converted, they need to be able to convert it. That doesn’t mean that housing staff aren’t doing consultation with the community. They are incredibly engaged with the community. And I trust that they are smart enough to understand what would be ideal or not an ideal location for a shelter of this nature …”

Well, councillor, in case you missed it, there was a building smack dab in the heart of Ottawa that was for sale but staff didn’t even nibble at the opportunity. That building was a YMCA structure that could have been converted into housing. Staff passed on that purchase perhaps thinking that residents would be better served by big, white tents in the suburbs. It would appear the recent sprung structures debacle skipped right past Troster.

That city staff are “incredibly engaged with the community” is questionable. Clearly, staff runs roughshod over most neighbourhoods, big or small.

There was extremely little public consultation whatsoever between City of Ottawa staff and residents in the west and south ends of the city on sprung structures. It was more of a ta-da moment with staff foolishly thinking it could bypass even the most unsuspecting when the curtain rose on the sprung-structure locations.

Given how ridiculous Troster’s remarks were, one wonders what she was thinking.

Donna Mulvihill is a community activist and former hospital coordinator

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