2 weeks Ago By By Michele McDougall
Escalating safety concerns and ongoing operational challenges are listed as reasons why the Blue Door drop-in centre in downtown Brandon will be permanently closing on Thursday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support.
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Escalating safety concerns and ongoing operational challenges are listed as reasons why the Blue Door drop-in centre in downtown Brandon will be permanently closing on Thursday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Escalating safety concerns and ongoing operational challenges are listed as reasons why the Blue Door drop-in centre in downtown Brandon will be permanently closing on Thursday. The drop-in centre has been a safe haven for the city’s homeless since it opened in December 2021.
The board of directors of the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, which operates the facility, announced its decision Tuesday on social media. The Blue Door, a drop-in centre at 31A Ninth St. in Brandon, will permanently close on Thursday, the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation announced on its Facebook page.
(Michele McDougall/The Brandon Sun) “We recognize the profound impact this will have on clients, staff, and our community. Our commitment to finding alternative supports continues, and we deeply appreciate the dedication of all who have been part of the Blue Door’s mission,” the Facebook post stated. The Sun’s requests for an interview with BNRC’s board chair were not answered by press time.
On Wednesday, a few people had gathered outside the Blue Door at 31A Ninth St., including Sinjin Shorting, who has been coming to the Blue Door for “quite awhile.” He’ll miss it, he said.
“I love this place for the community, for what it offers everyone around here,” Shorting said. “It’s sad what they’re doing. Hopefully, we can find another positive place to go.
” Upwards of 80 people use the drop-in centre a day, said Louise, an Indigenous Elder who requested the Sun publish only her first name. She said she got emotional when she heard it was closing. “I would just walk in there, sometimes have a coffee, and if I see somebody sitting there, I’ll just go talk to them, and it always makes them feel better,” Louise said.
“It’s really needed here in Brandon, for all kinds of people who are on the street, just to let them know that people do care about them,” she said. BNRC’s Facebook post also stated that extensive efforts were made to find an alternative solution, and that closing the Blue Door was not an easy choice. Brandon’s Blue Door is operated by Ask Auntie, which is an initiative funded by BNRC.
Ask Auntie was launched in 2021 and provides support and resources to Brandon’s vulnerable populations. The chapter may be closing on the Blue Door, but “Ask Auntie Brandon will continue to operate and serve our community,” the social media post added. Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said he was aware of the drop-in centre’s impending closure, but maintained it was BNRC’s team that made the call.
“The city, Brandon Police Service, Brandon Friendship Centre, Life’s Journey drop-in and Helping Hands Soup Kitchen — everybody’s been at the table trying to figure out the best-case scenarios and best solutions,” said Fawcett. “It became a bit of a safety issue for everybody, and we’re just trying to figure out how we can better serve the people who need that, but in a safer environment,” he said. On March 18, a post on Ask Auntie’s Facebook page said the Blue Door would be shut down until the next day because of “high volumes of misconduct, as people were not following the rules.
” But a post one week later acknowleged the drop-in centre had been closed since March 18 and would reopen with reduced hours. While it’s not known what specific events led to the decision to close the Blue Door, Brandon Police Service Chief Tyler Bates said a large number of calls for police originate in the downtown core. In 2024, BPS received 37,263 calls for service, and approximately 11,809 were from the downtown area, equating to about 30 per cent of all calls, Bates told the Brandon Police Board on April 11.
There are four staff members who work for the Blue Door. One of the employees spoke to the Sun on condition of anonymity and said she will be out of a job as of Thursday. “It’s not just about me.
Where are our clients going to go for a shower, or to do laundry? They are getting chased out of places and they don’t deserve that,” she said. “The Blue Door would have been the only drop-in centre open over the Easter long weekend. They’re facing four days of no support or necessities.
” The hours of operation during the last two days of the Blue Door will be 4:30 to 7 p.m., which is a reduction from three weeks ago when it was open from 11 a.
m. to 7 p.m.
, said Kim McKenzie, Ask Auntie’s administrator. “We don’t know why they decided to close, but I’m not oblivious to the facts,” McKenzie said. She nodded toward Rosser Avenue, adding, “These people are trying to run a business, and I understand this.
However, shutting down is counterproductive, in my opinion, but that’s just me.” » [email protected] » enviromichele.
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