ASK Wellness' main Kamloops office at 433 Tranquille Road. (Photo via ASK Wellness)

The ASK Wellness Society is partnering with the City of Kamloops to launch a new emergency heat response initiative so vulnerable people have a place to cool down during this ongoing heat wave.

CEO Bob Hughes says they’ve set up tents with a misting station behind their location at 433 Tranquille Road in North Kamloops, which will be able to accommodate up to 40 people a day.

“We’re able to provide access to our staff and services,” Hughes told Radio NL.

“For people who want to come inside and cool off, we have an air conditioned building where they have a shower, do some laundry, and connect with our staff and support services to help them hopefully access shelters and other resources in the community.”

The temporary program began this morning, July 8 as the Sandman Centre is not available as a cooling centre due to a previous booking.

The facility is currently open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, though ASK Wellness says it is “prepared to extend operating hours” into the weekends should the extreme heat levels persist. Weekend cooling services will be offered between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

“We’ve got a small space, I don’t think we can accept more than 40 people at a time but if the demand is significant we’ll be reaching out to the province and to the City and other partners to say ‘this is much bigger than we can possibly support,'” Hughes said.

“But we’re not going to shy away. We’re going to step right in and do our best during this heat wave.”

Hughes says there will be Community Services Officers on scene as well to ensure there are no issues at the site or at neighbouring businesses. He also says they’ve engaged the North Shore Business Improvement Association and its members with a commitment “to fostering further continuous engagement.”

“The addition of this program provides a much-needed service in our community, regardless of our current weather situation,” Will Beatty, the City of Kamloops’ Community Service Manager added, in a statement.

“We remain committed to working with ASK Wellness Society and other social agencies to provide outreach support to our vulnerable population conducting wellness checks, offering water, and ensuring that individuals are aware of services and resources available to them.”

New meal service to begin July 15

Hughes says ASK Wellness was gearing up to launch a new temporary meal program on Monday of next week in anticipation of the upcoming closure of The Loop, but decided to move things up because of the ongoing spell of hot weather.

“We were going to start next Monday [July 15] with the provision for sit down meals five days a week where people could access a nurse and other health and social programming, but with this heat barreling in on us, and not a well equipped response in the community, we just though lets just expedite what we’re able to offer and lets get started earlier than next week,” Hughes said.

“This is a modest effort made in response to a humanitarian crisis, and we are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community’s most vulnerable members.”

Hughes says people will be offered that morning meal between 10 a.m. and 12 noon on weekdays. That program is currently set to run until Oct. 15, at which time Hughes says he hopes there will be a longer-term solution in place.

“We’re very clear in saying that this is not the replacement of The Loop as a day space,” Hughes said.

“I think there has been talk of an Access Hub, but we definitely are not wanting to create a place where are able to set up their tents and hunker in for a full day. This is just not what we are equipped to do, nor is that our mandate.”

A Feb. 9 release from the City of Kamloops said the Access Hub Leadership Committee is “working together to identify the services and resources required to establish a model that is successful for the clients, operators, and community.”

The City of Kamloops says its vision for the access hub is a 24/7 location where unhoused individuals can access shelter, meals, hygienic facilities, culturally safe social and health services, amenity space, and connections to housing, supportive employment, and wellness opportunities.