Temporary shelters no busier than normal
Posted Jan 3, 2012 11:46:21 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s expected to be another frigid night, leaving some people looking for shelter.
The temporary shelters part of the ‘Out of the Cold’ program are on a nightly rotation throughout the week, at different locations in Kitchener Waterloo.
Monday nights, a shelter is set up at Trinity United Church, where just over 50 people showed up overnight for a couple of warm meals and place to escape the elements.
Now that number is pretty average, despite the bone chilling temperatures and Dennis Watson, site co-ordinator for the out of the cold program, says contrary to what most people think, their numbers don’t jump when it gets this cold out, “Wherever street people are, they may be safer staying where they are, which may be in some bank alcove, under a stairwell, or in a flop house, whatever…rather than hitting the streets and walking to the site.”
“We haven’t heard of any instance, where somebody has not found a shelter and has been found dead on the street. We haven’t heard that…that’s the beauty of this program, when all else fails, we are here as a temporary shelter, no questions asked.”
And Watson says they have a good working relationship with regional police, “When you’ve got shelters, whether they’re permanent or temporary, available, we certainly hope they find their way. And we do know our law enforcement organizations here. When they see people on the street in these kinds of circumstances, they’ll take them to the nearest shelter.”
Tonight, the temporary shelter is set-up at the Ray of Hope Community Centre on King Street.
