By Cecilia Nasmith
Cobourg Councillor Adam Bureau is looking forward to a visit to council by Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini at their Jan. 31 committee-of-the-whole meeting for the chance to see where things stand with the former Brookside youth correctional facility on King Street East.
Citing roof shingles littering the ground and rainwater entering the heritage building, Cobourg resident Keith Oliver wrote a letter drawing the town's attention to the “demolition by neglect” taking place at the vacated Brookside youth facility in the Correspondence section of this week's council meeting. Oliver urged the town to act to save it.
The facility had been a social-services hub for decades. Once a home for truant boys, it was a youth correctional facility for at least the last 40 years before its resident population dwindled to a handful and it was vacated by the provincial government almost a year ago.
Bureau had submitted a notice of motion on the agenda drawing attention to the empty facility, as well as to the homeless-shelter crisis in Cobourg. The motion would have urged Piccini and Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Philip Lawrence to recommend that it be converted into a homeless shelter for the winter months.
When it came up on the agenda, Bureau withdrew the notice of motion.
“I have recently learned Mr. Piccini will be coming Jan. 31, and I can ask him then – and a few other questions – at that time,” the councillor said.
Councillor Nicole Beatty outlined some of the measures that are in place for the homeless at this time, such as the warming room at St. Peter's Anglican Church that is open 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily – though it is still under-capacity.
There was an overnight warming space last year, as well as a daytime warming space. Beatty said there had been enquiries as to whether a daytime warming space might become available this year.
“At the moment, Transition House does not have the human resources or financial capacity to extend services, but are moving ahead to advocate for this,” Beatty said.
Meanwhile, they do offer what she termed “diversion services” - making referrals elsewhere for those who need things like emergency shelter and financial support.
