Building 18 project is on hold

Courtesy of Today’s Northumberland Pete Fisher

By Cecilia Nasmith

Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland's project of setting up a 24/7 warming/cooling hub on the second floor of a town-owned building on D'Arcy Street is tabled for now.

Cleveland made the motion himself at Wednesday's council meeting, after two speakers decried the project that would have been set up in what is known as Building 18 and subsequent council discussion.

Jordan Stevenson, Integrated Homelessness and Addiction Response Centre Chief Executive Officer, said a warming-cooling hub is an emergency weather measure, not a homelessness solution.

Stevenson also objected that, according to the status report before council, capital and operating costs seem to come largely from Cobourg tax payers, when Northumberland County is the level of government in charge of social services. That will increase sharply, he predicted, when it becomes apparent that true accessibility to this second-floor space will require an elevator.

Diane Manol also asked for Cleveland's support support for maintaining and repurposing the old Golden Plough Lodge building as a warming-cooling hub.

Over the past few weeks as he shepherded this project forward, Cleveland had refused to consider another location besides Building 18.

“As the person who brought this original motion forward, who brought Building 18 into the conversation, there's always a reason and rationale when making these kinds of decisions,” the mayor said.

“It definitely started a conversation that was much needed around a building that was underutilized. Occasionally, a good idea meets another idea, which leads to a different idea.

“County staff have reviewed Building 18. At this time, I believe there may be future information coming from the county that will change the dynamic of those recommendations.”

Cleveland also noted that there's a new Northumberland County Chief Administrative Officer, and said it might be nice to let him get his feet under him a little more and see what direction the county might take on this.