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The Loop drop-in centre on North Shore seized, shut down

Paul James
Aug 3, 2024 | 9:58 AM


The Loop drop-in centre on North Shore seized, shut down

The Loop drop-in facility on Tranquille/via Google Street Maps

The Loop on the Kamloops north shore is no longer a day space for the homeless.

The RCMP, along with Community Service Officers, took possession of the facility on 405 Tranquille at 7am this morning.

Realtor Brendan Shaw, who took ownership of the property earlier this year, has given Radio NL a short statement.

“On the morning of August 3, 2024, possession of 405 Tranquille Road was made with a bailiff securing the site. Unfortunately, the mutually agreed upon July 31, 2024 timeline to vacate was not honoured by the tenant,” said Shaw in a statement.  “Regarding a year-round shelter with services, I look forward to further announcements from the Access Hub Leadership Committee.”

It comes after the lease for the building that the non-profit occupied expired at the end of July.

Loop operator Glenn Hilke had continued to operate the space beyond his lease.

“In the midst of another heat wave and the closure of the Mustard Seed Day Room and it’s daily meals, Pilger Properties LTD (AKA Brendan Shaw Real Estate & Co.) has taken the most drastic measures possible against the desperate clients of the only remaining food security service and not for profit indoor cooling community centre — The LOOP,” said Hilke in a statement to Radio NL.

Hilke contends The Loop was in the midst of moving its materials out of the building when the bailiff arrived.

“[The owner] will not let The Loop inside the building to move out… and… most critically denied access to the food prepared, packaged and ready to distribute city-wide through The Loop Meal Train program that fills in the huge gap of food services created by the Mustard Seed closure on July 31st,” contends Hilke.

Hilke had been pushing to keep the facility open, including a one man protest outside of Kamloops City Hall on Tuesday.

The shutdown of The Loop comes as the City of Kamloops finalizes a land sale for the development of the North Shore Access Hub.