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91大黄鸭 outreach group hopes winter shelter comes soon

With the early onset of winter conditions this year, those without homes need shelter sooner
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The City of 91大黄鸭鈥檚 temporary outdoor shelter on Recreation Avenue, pictured in winter 2019. (Black Press Media file)

As the weather turns colder and the snow comes earlier, HOPE Outreach said its volunteers are worried about 91大黄鸭 residents who are experiencing homelessness.

The non-profit organization鈥檚 executive director Angie Lohr said over the weekend, outreach teams saw about 10 women and 50 men without shelter.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e maybe waiting for shelters, maybe on a list. And I know all the agencies are coming together (to help),鈥 she said.

鈥淪adly, not too many of them do nighttime outreach. So between Bridges, Gospel Mission and a few other agencies that are going out this weekend, we just congregated and figured out who was going out when and who was bringing what.鈥

Lohr said HOPE volunteers distributed warm blankets, socks and mittens to those sleeping rough.

Those who wish to use the open space on Baillie Avenue can use it to camp overnight but because it鈥檚 an open space with no protection from the wind, Lohr said they only saw about two individuals using the area. The women who usually stay there have also left due to the cold, staying closer to where there are buildings.

And with COVID-19 restrictions on capacity, not a lot of people can access shelter services.

鈥淪o we have a lot of people sleeping rough. It was -11 degrees last night. I鈥檝e slept homeless in my past and it is not a pleasant experience. And it鈥檚 only going to get worse.鈥

鈥淓veryone鈥檚 scattered and trying to do the best they can, tenting in the woods somewhere off Enterprise or wherever they can get shelter right now,鈥 she said.

She said with the early onset of colder temperatures and snow, she鈥檚 hoping a temporary winter shelter can be made available soon but she鈥檚 not sure when exactly that will happen.

鈥淚 hope that there鈥檚 been an urgency over this weekend put into people鈥檚 minds that could perhaps speed up the process鈥 we鈥檙e just really hoping there is a suitable plan in place soon.鈥

READ: New supportive housing project for 91大黄鸭鈥檚 homeless skips usual rezoning process


Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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