Since I've been paying relatively close attention (4 years +/-), I've been pretty impressed with the provincial government's investments to help the homeless in Kamloops.
The latest news that BC Housing has purchased the former Rendezvous Hotel building and will turn into a 24 hour co-ed emergency shelter. Additionally, the province has awarded a contract to Kamloops based company Northern Trailer for the construction of modular homes targeted towards increasing the province's affordable rental housing stock.
The Rendezvous purchase raises some interesting opportunities and issues.
I wonder who will run the new shelter. There are many very qualified social agencies, but I am also thinking specifically of the almost entirely volunteer run Society of Vincent De Paul. Society volunteers have tirelessly, selflessly, and successfully served homeless people in Kamloops for some time. They run the extreme weather overnight shelter, "Out of the Cold", every year. I know there has been some interest from the Society in being involved in a 24 hour shelter. I hope there is an opportunity for them to partner with a social agency here.
There has been push by some to geographically centralize community services for homeless people. The Rendezvous is literally doors away from the New Life Mission and the Men's Christian Hostel. This may be a good thing in that people seeking services can find many in this one area of town. Alternatively, concentrating services also means people have to travel longer distances perhaps. The impact on one neighbourhood may also be quite large.
These thoughts are not comprehensive, just doing a little thinking out loud.
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