Lethbridge City Council has approved spending $300,000 to renovate the homeless shelter to accommodate the intox program.
It provides intoxicated people with a safe place to sober up & access programs, including housing and health care and has been something the City of Lethbridge has been pushing for, for a very long time.
The intox program itself started two months ago in October and is run by Alpha House out of Calgary. Mayor Chris Spearman says it has so far been well-received by both police and the Downtown Outreach Team.
There is no cost to the City when it comes to operation of the intox facility as that is a provincial responsibility.
The Government of Alberta is covering the overall cost which is pegged at $1.6 million, however the City of Lethbridge was asked to be a partner and renovate the building as the landlord.
Part of the City’s $300,000 for renos will include a security system and extra fencing around the shelter.
This renovation will be done to the Resource Centre side of the shelter building and is slated to start in January and be complete in April.