Creston has opened a cold weather shelter just in time for the portal vortex to blow through the valley.
What used to be the barracks for the firefighters in the old ambulance hall turned out to be a suitable space for a night-time shelter.
“It has bedrooms, it has a kitchen, it has bathrooms and showers,” said Creston Mayor Arnold DeBoon.
“And so, through the United Church, a group came together over concern of homeless people being out in the cold weather. Since then, they have worked tirelessly to get funding, and we have given them the space.”
The shelter opened on Jan. 8 and runs overnight.
“The contract expires on Mar. 31, so it is for cold weather. We don’t have weather cold enough to meet that threshold, usually by the end of March. So it is for a short period of time.”
The United Church group running the shelter originally brought their concerns before council in previous meetings.
“They have allowed some of the homeless to occupy tents on their property, and so they are the nearest presence to what appears to be our homeless population. They have done whatever they can to help them and make their lives better, and so it was a natural progression for them to take the next step, as in giving them shelter on the coldest nights.”
Luckily for them, the barracks provided the perfect spot to use for the shelter.
“Its proximity to the United Church and where these tents make it the best space in town for it. It’s just a short walk, and it already has nearly everything that was needed. So they worked hard last week to alter it to be the best space available, and they have provided bedding, and I believe they will be providing a meal in the mornings to the people that will be using it.”