Main Street Project executive director exits organization

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/07/2020 (1626 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Main Street Project executive director Rick Lees has left his position with the non-profit homeless shelter and community outreach organization.

Vince Warden, board chair of the homeless serving agency and detox centre in downtown Winnipeg, said Sunday that Lees’ departure was effective July 17.

Warden did not provide reasons for the split — noting he was waiting to speak with Lees who was out of town Sunday — but said it was not unexpected and he believes the decision is mutual.

“It’s been building for a while. Rick has done some amazing things for Main Street Project, not always in step with the board,” Warden said in a phone interview. “He’s very focused on what he wants to do. He’s very determined. He’s only acting on the best interest of people who are experiencing homelessness, so you have to give him full credit for that, absolutely.

“I really do thank him for everything he has done at Main Street Project. However the board has decided, over a period of time, they do want to take the agency in a slightly different direction,” Warden said.

When reached Sunday afternoon, Lees said he is out of town with family and would be willing to comment on his status with Main Street Project later this week.

Main Street Project currently operates as a community health centre for people experiencing homelessness and addiction and offers access to medical care, harm-reduction supplies, a detox centre, emergency shelter and transitional housing beds.

While under Lees’ leadership over the past four years, Main Street Project embarked on a massive capital campaign to significantly expand the centre’s footprint into the former Mitchell Fabrics building, at Main Street at Logan Avenue. In the past, he has also been a vocal supporter of safe consumption sites and advocated for Main Street Project to provide the facility.

More recently, Main Street Project has served as the community partner to the City of Winnipeg in monitoring homeless encampments in the downtown, and to ensure residents living rough are doing so safely; the organization has also facilitated shelter for people residing in the tent cities, if the community is believed to pose a danger or needs to be cleared.

Lees and Main Street Project also worked to establish an emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a self-isolation centre to combat the spread of the virus in the community.

According to Warden, the board of directors at Main Street Project is in the midst of developing a new five year strategic plan which will fine tune the operations of the organization. The board of directors currently has two vacancies, Warden said, following term expirations, and recently added four new members.

“One of the things we do want to emphasize is greater co-operation with other agencies in the city,” Warden said. “We think there are a lot of efficiencies that can be gained by working together more closely with the other agencies.

“Main Street Project may have a bit of a reputation for not doing that as well as it could, and so we are definitely going to put a greater degree of emphasis on that.”

Warden said the auditor general is currently examining Main Street Project’s books after allegations by a whistleblower regarding financial and human resources issues were forwarded to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority last June.

A third-party auditor hired by MSP to look into the financial allegations did not reveal any issues, Warden noted, and said Lees’ departure is not related to the organization’s financial dealings. An external human resources firm was also hired to investigate the whistleblower complaint, Warden said.

The organization will consider appointing an interim director at a meeting to be held Tuesday, Warden said.

“I really do want to assure our supporters, our donors, our funders, and so many volunteers that we depend on, that the board will continue to be very vigilant in the management of resources of Main Street Project,” he said.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca