The Kamloops Curling Club has now turned into a 50-bed emergency shelter for the next several months.

Alfred Achoba, the acting executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association Kamloops branch, says there will be 24-7 supports in place for residents as well.

“That includes staff, meals, there will be employment services. We have life skill supports, we have intensive case management, we have housing support here. There’s a variety of services in here to make sure clients are successful,” he says.

He says about two dozen residents staying at The Branch, a temporary shelter on Royal Avenue, will be relocated to the curling club by Friday night, paving the way for that facility to permanently close by this weekend.

“We anticipate that we will fill up quickly. Obviously we had a fire recently in town and there’s a need for shelter beds,” Achoba says, referencing Tuesday’s fire at 435 Cherry Avenue which has left at least 50 residents displaced.

“We are also seeing a lot of homeless folks sleeping outside, and with the cold snap coming we’re working with other social agencies to get people indoors.”

The shelter beds were set up at the curling club after a CMHA lease to set up shelter beds at Memorial Arena ended at the end of November.

Achoba says in the coming days, CMHA and BC Housing will also be opening 20 shelter beds at Memorial Arena following the signing of a new lease to use that building.

Both of these spaces will be open until March 31.