Shelter expansion project late but still on track
By Sam Leishman - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on March 4, 2025.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Construction continues on the expansion at the Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre.It will still be another few weeks until the expansion at the Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre is ready to welcome guests.
Kash Shade, the Blood Tribe Department of Health’s (BTDH) chief operating officer, says construction was supposed to be complete by the end of February, but that has now been delayed to at least mid-March. He says the project team is currently waiting on bathroom equipment and some other supplies that are arriving from the United States.
“Unfortunately, that’s I think the third pushback date we’ve heard from them,” Shade told the Herald. “The good thing is the shelter is still operational with our original capacity.”
The BTDH signed a memorandum of understanding with the province last year to continue operating the shelter after taking over from Alpha House in 2023. As part of the agreement, the province also supplied $4 million for the expansion project through the Lethbridge Housing Authority.
Construction began in late July to increase the shelter’s capacity from roughly 100 beds up to 200 beds.
Shade says staff were able to get creative this winter to accommodate up to 150 guests when the weather took a turn for the worst. However, he notes that it comes at the cost of intruding on other spaces that are needed for administration and programming.
“This expansion is definitely needed before next winter,” says Kash. “Some of the reports we’ve heard is that our homeless population has steadily increased over the years, so 200 [spaces] are probably going to be fully utilized next winter.”
Shade and staff at the shelter are looking forward not only to the expansion being completed, but several other big changes that will better support those experiencing homelessness and addiction in Lethbridge.
The Lethbridge Soup Kitchen, which is housed in the same building as the shelter, is planning to expand its dining area starting this spring.
Streets Alive also recently purchased the old El Dorado RV building next to the shelter. Renovation work is underway with the goal to move some of its operations there, including its Exodus Men’s Recovery Program, the Re-Purpose Donation Centre and the Restoration of Dignity programs.
“The more services and programs that service that population, it’s definitely a good thing,” says Shade. “We haven’t had too many direct partnerships with Streets Alive, but we are closely partnered with the Soup Kitchen and our stabilization unit within the shelter. If they’re expanding, that just gives us more optimism that our clients will be better served and there will be more access.”
12-11
No rush . . . ! The issue I still have is that you can build a shelter to house 500 people and you will still see the people, criminals hanging out all night on our streets and taking over our parks, using them as flop houses/areas to do drugs. It is only going increase the issues! I am not against housing people . . . I am against allowing the people on the streets to continue committing the crimes/property damage!
I applaud the great job that BTDH has done dramatically improving conditions after taking over from Alpha House. I do not believe the lies coming from the people on the streets who refuse to stay there, saying it is full of bedbugs and lice as well as another song and dance they try to make you believe, when you ask why they are not at the shelter, but hanging out on your property. BTDH has done a great job and don’t believe those lies!
The lawless people who hang out all night creating problems, doing drugs, starting fires, damaging property, selling drugs, sex trafficking will not stay in a shelter, because they cannot run their criminal activities in/from the shelter! Some have warrants and will stay their . . . they have many excuses, but 99% are for criminal reasons.
I have serious concerns with this expansion, and still believe that it would have been better for a bigger, improved shelter space to be built in Standoff, not for racist reasons of keeping them in that community, but because I call the streets of Lethbridge, or any big city, the killing fields. When young people hit our streets, they often only last a year or 5 years, or in some cases a month, before that lifestyle kills them. Too many have died on our streets.
My thoughts were: Standoff has a detox, they will soon have a new treatment facility, and in the summer Alvin Mills has his camp set up to get them off the streets of Lethbridge. In my mind, an improved larger shelter in or near Standoff would keep them off the streets of Lethbridge or other cities where gangs and drugs take over their lives, and in their community where their families and friends are and their support systems.
I do not mean keeping everyone isolated, but where I felt they had a better chance of getting clean and surviving!
I also thought the shelters were for emergencies, not long term living! We are going to have an increase of issues on streets and downtown this year with more people finding things to do in the daytime and I hope everyone is prepared.
Let us hope that one day there will be no need for such a shelter!