For more than 20 years, Dermot Baldwin worked tirelessly as an advocate for Calgary’s homeless — often going toe-to-toe with city and provincial politicians and bureaucrats.
Baldwin, who retired as executive director of the Calgary Drop-In Centre last October, often panned the city’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness as too simplistic. He criticized the methods and operations of other homeless agencies. He even took the city to court over its redevelopment of the East Village.
He’s credited with the construction of the Drop-In Centre’s downtown building (controversial in some quarters) and several affordable housing projects.
But the past is the past. Now the city is about to name a laneway off of Fourth Street S.E. that pulls into the Drop-In Centre, “Dermot Way.”
“It really speaks to the fact that people recognize that Dermot has been an advocate for people,” says Louise Gallagher, spokesperson for the Drop-In Centre. “And for Calgarians too. That we turn up and do the right thing for people who are marginalized.”
The proposal goes before a city council committee this week, before heading to council for a final vote.
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