Spring has arrived and with it comes the closure of the extreme weather shelter that has been operating out of the basement of Christ the King Church on 599 Gower Point Road in Gibsons.
Between three and 14 clients used the Gibsons shelter each night during February and March. The need for the shelter was raised in the winter during the lead-up to the creation of the Upper Deck shelter in Sechelt. “There were new people we were able to connect with, which is great because our outreach worker… will be able to help them find housing throughout the year,” said Aaron Munro, associate director at RainCity Housing, which operates both shelters.
Over the past two months, local residents volunteered and cooked meals, and RainCity employed clients from the Sechelt shelter to assist with operations. “We weren’t able to hire enough staff in time because it was a bit of a last-minute decision, so we hired a number of people who stayed at the Sechelt shelter to come and assist with the other unionized workers,” Munro said.
Bright outdoor lighting, noise and outdoor smoking were a few complaints made by residents to Gibsons councillors during the shelter’s opening week. Munro said the lighting was dimmed and that otherwise complaints have been minimal. “I think the Sunshine Coast has been a real leader in saying yes in my backyard. Not everybody, but the majority of people were willing to engage with us.”
RainCity and Christ the King Church have yet to discuss options for next year. In March, Gibsons councillors voted in favour of using the former RCMP building on School Road for transition and supportive housing.
As for those who regularly used the temporary shelter, Munro said some transferred to the shelter in Sechelt, while others are liaising with RainCity’s outreach worker. “The first point is engagement. [Then] you can begin to work with people and try to find longer term solutions,” Munro said.
A homeless count will be held on the Sunshine Coast on April 23. If you’re interested helping, see www.surveymonkey.com/r/Schelt2018 or contact Jacob Taves by email at: [email protected]
