Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

Gatineau officials were faced with two possibilities for the future of those residing at Robert-Guertin Centre, also known as Tent City, as the arena awaits demolition.

Officials will have to decide whether to move the site to municipal land on rue Hanson or rearrange the current Guertin site to allow those experiencing homelessness to safely stay, despite the construction work.

“The reality is that we must redevelop the site one way or another. We’ve known that since last fall when we started talking about the possibility of demolishing Guertin,” Hull-Wright district councillor Steve Moran told journalists following a plenary committee meeting on April 30.

With the May 15 deadline with Devcore Group quickly approaching, Gatineau’s interim mayor Daniel Champagne said the City must act quickly.

Municipal land on rue Hanson was identified as the only possible option for relocation, but there is a high risk of soil contamination at the site. Several analyses would be necessary to determine if the land would be developable. The alternative was to maintain the current site, which Champagne noted was an interesting option.

No matter the decision, the Director of Service des loisirs, des sports et du développement des communautés, Sébastien Vallée, said the entire Guertin site requires reorganization. The City planned to explore how the area could be organized with partners to reduce the tension that currently erupts.

“Homelessness is going to be with us at least for the next 10, 2, 3, 4, 5 years, that’s for sure,” said Moran. “Let’s establish a plan for the next few years so that we can organize everyone and finally provide the services that people need.”

Champagne noted that the first step would be for the City to see what is possible at the Hanson site. In the meantime, the acting mayor said Gatineau would maintain the Guertin site.

Photo caption: With the Robert-Guertin Centre up for demolition, Gatineau elected officials were presented with two options on where to locate homeless citizens who have flocked to the arena.

Photo credit: Taylor Clark