The city of Kamloops is setting up two temporary overflow emergency shelter sites to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 among the city’s vulnerable population.
One of those two sites will be at 185 Royal Avenue on the North Shore at the site of a former temporary winter shelter known as ‘The Branch’ while the other will be at Memorial Arena on Victoria Street downtown.
“To immediately address the capacity concerns, the Royal Avenue temporary shelter will be activated as early as next week,” said Mayor Ken Christian. “If that location exceeds capacity, the entire operation will move over to Memorial Arena.”
While he didn’t have an estimate though on how many spaces would be available at the two locations, Christian says the city is working with Interior Health, BC Housing, and other community partners to implement its multi-stage COVID-19 vulnerable population housing strategy.
“What we are attempting to do is make sure that there isn’t any kind of overcrowding and situations where people would have to be within two metres of each other,” Christian added. “So it will be much less than one would normally have in a shelter situation.”
“We need to be prepared to support these members of our community at any stage of COVID-19 from prevention to treatment and recovery. This population has a high proportion of immune-compromised individuals and their inability to self-isolate poses a risk to themselves and those around them.”
The new shelters come as both the Emerald Centre and the Mustard Seed have increased physical distancing in their facilities, which has led to a reduction in the number of available beds.
Christian adds the city is also opening all washroom facilities and relaxing enforcement of the Temporary Overnight Shelter Bylaw. That said, bylaw officers will monitor camps to ensure that people are following all of the regulations put in place by the province.
As well, the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society is extending hours at the Cllémentem Mini-Storage at 48 Victoria Street West. It will now be open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with access to washroom, laundry, and shower facilities as well as mental health and substance use supports from Interior Health.
“This pandemic knows no physical or social boundaries,” concluded Christian. “As the pandemic evolves, so will our response.”
These two new locations are in addition to 50 hotel beds being funded by the province for people to self-isolate if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or are waiting for a test result.
