Now that there are several options available across Kamloops for people to find a reprieve from oppressive heat, the operator of The Loop Drop-in Centre says someone at the city dropped the ball.

Speaking on NL Newsday, Glenn Hilke says it shouldn’t always fall to social agencies to have to react to poor planning at the city. He says there is blame that should be shared by council and administration.

“The city council can mandate the city administration. That’s what they’re there for,” Hilke said. “They can say to administrators, this is what we require and we’re not negotiating on this.”

“In terms of the people that are responsible for this, there are two of them in particular but it goes up the chair of command right to [acting CAO] Byron McCorkell.”

Hilke also says organizations like his “need to know that there is an advance plan in place every year” as to when cold and hot weather shelters will be opened.

Last term – three city councilors – Kathy Sinclair, Sadie Hunter, and Dale Bass – banded together to make just such a requirement – but it was defeated. Bass is the only one who remain on council this term.

A notice of motion by Bass that is calling on the Province to change the thresholds when extreme cold weather shelters are operated in Kamloops was approved by the current City Council  and delegates at the Southern Interior Local Government Association’s convention.

In January, B.C.’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon told Radio NL that the province will work with the City, if council passed Bass’ motion.

“There are implications on the city if they were to go in that direction. There are resources required and other things they’ll need to do,” Kahlon said at the time. “The emergency shelters, they are important but they are temporary in nature, and we need to have more permanent solutions.”

“I think if Kamloops council does pass that motion and they are interested in something more permanent, I’m happy to talk to them about locations and really that is the tough part, finding out where you want to put the housing.”

While its not clear if there has been any progress on adjusting the thresholds, Kahlon announced more than 500 new affordable homes and shelter spaces last month, calling it the “largest affordable housing announcement in the history of Kamloops.”

As it stands, extreme cold weather shelters operate in Kamloops when the temperature hits at least -10 C, or if there is at least five centimeters of snow on the ground. Similarly, heat protocols are only activated if there are two straight days with daytime highs of at least 35 C followed by a nighttime low of at least 18 C.

For his part, Hilke opened The Loop on Saturday morning as a cooling centre.

Over the weekend plans began coming together for a cooling centre at McArthur Island – as the Sandman Centre is unavailable – but that facility didn’t open until noon today.

By Monday – another social agency – Ask Wellness just down the block from the Loop – also took it upon themselves to open a cooling centre.