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After finding a weapon described as a harpoon, seniors living at Mary Helen Herchmer Place are raising concerns about the safety of their building.
At an NDP media event on Monday, residents of the Regina Housing Authority-owned seniors residence also spoke out about chronic issues such as a lack of maintenance, constant attempted break-ins and bed bugs found on the building’s first floor.
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Marlene Robinson, a two-year resident of Mary Helen Herchmer, says the building’s back door can be easily unscrewed and removed by anyone with a screwdriver.
“We, as residents, have also witnessed that people are trying to get into our building. It’s actually terrifying when you’re a senior and something that we feel no one should have to go through,” Robinson said.
“Throughout my time here we have had several issues where we have approached the Government of Saskatchewan’s housing corporation, and these issues simply have not been addressed.”
Robinson called for the addition of security cameras in and around the building.
She also voiced frustration from previous complaints about the building’s heating system, which was broken for several months, as well as one of its elevators.
“This is a seniors facility, and we see (that) we deserve to feel safe in our apartments, which are our homes, and in our community,” she said.
In addition to safety issues, residents of Mary Helen Herchmer Place also say they’ve encountered many maintenance problems. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)
Doug Pelletier, another resident, said he and others are worried about outsiders coming in and out of the building.
“We’re simply asking the government to take our issues seriously and respond to them in a timely manner,” he said.
“Everything always takes so long to get repaired or is just simply ignored. We feel like (they think) we wanted to be treated special, but we don’t — we want to be treated like seniors.”
NDP Leader Carla Beck accused the Sask. Party of mismanaging buildings like Mary Helen Herchmer.
“This is an issue right across the province. Admittedly, these are aging buildings, but like anyone who’s tasked with leadership and maintenance of a public asset like this, we should be addressing the concerns of seniors in buildings like this,” Beck said.
“I don’t know if people have had the opportunity to see this weapon — it is a machete tied to a broomstick. Imagine if this is your parent or your grandparent coming down to a common area and finding that kind of weapon, finding people passed out in common areas, finding doors propped open and not feeling safe.
“I heard from people just this morning, again, ‘I just mostly stay in my apartment because I don’t feel safe.’ This is not acceptable.”
Beck also said the security issues and break-ins tie into other issues, such as homelessness, mental health and addiction crises.
Provincial housing corporation says security in place
In an emailed statement, the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation said it works with housing authorities and tenants to handle concerns in a timely manner.
“Security measures are currently in place at Mary Helen Herchmer Place and Davis Mews, which includes fob entry systems and security cameras,” read the statement.
“The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation is aware of an incident that occurred two years ago, in January 2024, regarding an object found in a common area. The issue was immediately addressed and resolved at the time. There have not been any similar incidents reported since that time.”
The housing corporation further stressed that it made no cuts to building area maintenance or common area cleaning services in its buildings, adding that care for Mary Helen Herchmer falls in the hands of the Regina Housing Authority.
“When there are anticipated delays in repairs, such as an elevator, steps are taken to minimize the impact on tenants. In 2024, the Mary Helen Herchmer Place building had one of their two elevators under repair and awaiting parts,” the statement read.
“During this time, there was one fully operational elevator available and additional measures were implemented to add security onsite, as a measure of comfort and safety for tenants.”
“Tenants are encouraged to reach out to their local housing authority if they have concerns and to report suspected illegal activities to their local police service.”
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