B.C. Housing granted the Salvation Army money to host an extreme weather shelter in their facility in Gibsons this winter.
The Salvation Army learned this week that the grant had been approved and are in meetings with their community advisory committee as to how the grant and shelter will be handled.
"We meet with an advisory group in the community. That's how we stay accountable to B.C. Housing," Capt. Glynden Cross said.
Cross said the extreme weather shelter will be open Nov. 1 through April 1 from 8 p.m. until 7 a.m. with 10 beds in total for men and women 18 years of age and older. Users will also be fed supper at the building at 5-682 Gibsons Way.
Cross said extreme weather is defined as temperatures below zero, snowing, extended periods of rain and high winds that create a wind chill. There will be two workers for each night whose duty will be to stay awake and keep watch over the shelter residents he said.
Cross said the Salvation Army served meals to almost 60 people on Sept. 9 and said the Salvation Army wants to push B.C. Housing for a seasonal shelter grant so they can be open every night of the week from Nov.1 to April 1.
"I don't know if this is the start of the season or what is going on," Cross said about the high number of people who showed up for lunch Sept. 9.
The Salvation Army is looking to hire between four and seven staff to work at the shelter this winter and transportation issues are being addressed through the advisory committee about how to get people requiring shelter to Gibsons if they are not there already. Cross said there is a bus stop right outside the shelter site if people use public transportation to get themselves there.
