Open house provides information on shelter initiative

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Following numerous questions and various concerns about the financial implications and need regarding the Strathmore Overnight Shelter (SOS), the Harvest Healing Centre Church is hosting an open house to provide answers and information to eliminate rumours and the unknowns.
Last year, John Hilton O’Brien, Pastor Elizabeth Karp, Pastor Dawn Nelson, and Waldo Munoz approached council about a financial commitment to their proposal of a transitional shelter to help address the issue of homelessness in Strathmore and its surrounding area.
With a mild winter and a homelessness problem that remains largely hidden in Strathmore, some residents have voiced their concerns regarding the initiative. Yet according to Outreach Director for SOS Richard Rodgers, the need for a shelter, when Calgary’s facilities are turning individuals away and community members are losing their homes as a result of the economy, remains evident.
“There’ll be a lot of questions that’ll be answered at the open house… and I think the main thing is, why do we need it?” said Rodgers. “That’s a general question from the public. Is it a waste of money? Can we use the money elsewhere? We’re going to be answering everything. With the economy it doesn’t matter if it’s cold or hot outside, people still need a place to go.”
The Harvest Healing Centre Church has the space necessary for the shelter, but required specific renovations and modifications to the sleeping areas and bathrooms and was hit with an unexpected obstacle of having to install a pricey sprinkler system in order to meet safety standards.
Although the town did invest $40,000 for 2015 and $20,000 in matched funds for 2016, a mild winter, donations, and volunteered labour already cut costs dramatically, without accessing the town’s funds.
“A lot of people stepped up for parts, did some labour, discounts on plans for the building to determine how much it was going to cost. There’s a lot of people that stepped up and it probably cut our costs in half.”
While rooms are updated and only require furnishing, the sprinkler system, renovations to the bathrooms, carpets, and a paint job are still required before the shelter can open to the public. However, on May 6, the open house will include a tour, a slideshow of the homeless in the area, followed by a presentation of the shelter, and information regarding other initiatives and fundraising, staffing, and the shelter’s general operations. The public will also have a chance to engage in discussions to receive clarity about the project and its impact on the community.
The shelter, which is planned to have 10 beds, will provide overnight accommodation for adults only, with an average stay of five days. The individuals will also receive breakfast and be connected with local non-profit organizations and other resources available. To ensure the shelters ongoing operation year-round, costs are expected to reach $164,000 annually – a portion of the money that will be allocated to a paid staff member with mental health training. Members of the shelter are still looking for interested volunteers and are actively pursuing post-secondary institutions for prospective students interested in gaining work-term hours towards a practicum.
The open house will address costs, operations, construction, unveiling of the new logo, and speak to other related issues associated with the project.
The SOS board extended an invitation to organization representatives to attend the event from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on May 6. The public is encouraged to tour the facilities and receive information over coffee from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Harvest Healing Centre Church, at 102 Canal Street.