With temperatures heading towards -30 C, one Salmon Arm man couldn91裸聊视频檛 wait another day for an overnight emergency shelter.

Emphasizing he doesn91裸聊视频檛 want to be in the spotlight, the man spoke on condition that his name not be used.

He had been following news regarding the permanent closure of the Salvation Army91裸聊视频檚 Lighthouse emergency shelter in May 2022 and BC Housing91裸聊视频檚 months-long search for a site. He was upset to read that BC Housing recently said it was looking at all options.

91裸聊视频淪o as the ship is sinking, we91裸聊视频檙e investigating all options91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� he remarked.

91裸聊视频淚 know there91裸聊视频檚 a gentleman that said 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檒l do it. I91裸聊视频檝e got the land, I91裸聊视频檒l get it serviced. We91裸聊视频檒l bring in portables.91裸聊视频� A few weeks we were looking into that. We could have had housing set up, the camp-style housing within three weeks91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚n our culture, we91裸聊视频檝e decided BC Housing is responsible and I think they have 1,000 per cent dropped the ball. How is it we can have this over here (he points to the tent encampment) at minus 30. It91裸聊视频檚 wrong, it91裸聊视频檚 so wrong.91裸聊视频�

He said he91裸聊视频檚 aware homelessness is a complex issue and there91裸聊视频檚 no pat answer.

91裸聊视频淏ut this, this, is ridiculous.91裸聊视频�

Read more:

As the temperature grew colder earlier in the week he became more and more concerned. He checked out a possible place for an insulated sea can he had in his yard, but he said his spouse talked him out of it.

91裸聊视频淪he said, 91裸聊视频榯he liability, we could lose everything.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 sad, that we91裸聊视频檙e liability-driven,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about liability. Are you kidding me?91裸聊视频�

He said one solution could be for the provincial government to set up a mechanism to cover liability so local groups could get together and solve such problems.

He was feeling conflicted that day and spoke to someone else who also warned of liability. He then called his son, who works with unhoused people in another community. His son said there91裸聊视频檚 not that much liability and he had to do it.

91裸聊视频淪omebody91裸聊视频檚 got to do something.91裸聊视频�

Read more:

At that moment on Dec. 20, he received a call from Ben91裸聊视频檚 Towing. Manager Rachel Brown was calling at the end of her work day about something else, but he asked if the company91裸聊视频檚 truck was available. He explained what he was thinking and she didn91裸聊视频檛 hesitate. 91裸聊视频榃e91裸聊视频檙e on it.91裸聊视频�

Three employees worked on the project until after 9 that night, he said.

91裸聊视频淭hey actually had to use a tow truck to pull the truck away from the trailer they needed, because that truck wouldn91裸聊视频檛 start. And then the container was frozen to the ground. But they got it down here. So they were just unbelievable. They got it down here, got it set up.91裸聊视频�

Brown said the drivers are awesome and deserve credit.

91裸聊视频淓verybody was pretty excited to do something like this.91裸聊视频�

The 40-foot sea can container now sits across 3rd Street SE from the tent encampment, equipped with a generator. It contains chairs and couches, and people bring their own bedrolls.

The next need was portable toilets, which were provided thanks to another business person who also requested anonymity. He provided fuel for the generator as well.

91裸聊视频淚f that was somebody91裸聊视频檚 dog, it would have had a shelter,91裸聊视频� he remarked.

Read more:

Read more:

Dave Byers, who formerly worked at the Lighthouse shelter, also stepped up. He volunteered to oversee half of the 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. shift. He said about 12 people showed up Dec. 21, some coming and going. Neither drugs nor alcohol were permitted inside the sea can.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e just doing what needs to be done. Everybody has dropped the ball. I can91裸聊视频檛 believe we seem to treat other sectors of our population and our dogs and cats, better than people living on the streets. I just can91裸聊视频檛 believe in Canada we came to this,91裸聊视频� Byers said.

He emphasized the need for a permanent shelter that must be set up next year well before the cold weather hits.

BC Housing stated on Dec. 19 that it has signed a four-month lease for a shelter site that will open in early January 2023 and may have more than the 16 beds the former Lighthouse shelter had. More details are expected within a week.

Read more:

Read more:

At the new Caf茅 at the Lighthouse, which is a warming centre in the former shelter building, patrons look happy. It91裸聊视频檚 currently open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Dec. 22, several people were sitting around a table which held an abundance of baked goods. Lieut. Joel Torrens of the Salvation Army noted the caf茅 has a fridge, microwave, television, piano, guitar, showers, laundry and a small hair salon.

Seated at the table is Dave Adams, who expressed his appreciation for the sea can.

91裸聊视频淚 think it91裸聊视频檚 highly commendable what they did. And they did it at their own risk91裸聊视频� We91裸聊视频檝e been asking the council there, are you going to open up a shelter? Before the snow even fell, all we91裸聊视频檝e heard is, we91裸聊视频檙e talking about it, for months now. It91裸聊视频檚 bloody cold out there and it91裸聊视频檚 probably saving lives.91裸聊视频�

Asked if he was comfortable in the sea can, he replied: 91裸聊视频淐omfortable, as in I didn91裸聊视频檛 freeze to death.91裸聊视频�

He added he is grateful for community members.

91裸聊视频淥n the flip side, the amount of community spirit the town has shown in the last while has been impressive.91裸聊视频�

A woman named Debbie said she had a good sleep in the sea can. She91裸聊视频檚 also grateful for the caf茅.

91裸聊视频淥h yes. Where else would we go?91裸聊视频�

She and others said they91裸聊视频檙e thankful for the firewood that91裸聊视频檚 been dropped off on the pallets by the tents, and they would appreciate more if it91裸聊视频檚 available.

The man who owns the sea can said he remembers well the wildfire of 1998 that threatened Salmon Arm. He recalls the unity of the community, working against a common enemy.

91裸聊视频淲e did what made sense, not just what was driven by liability concerns,91裸聊视频� he said.

He91裸聊视频檇 like to see the community have a real conversation about how people can work together so Salmon Arm will have an emergency shelter.

91裸聊视频淥r people will die.91裸聊视频�

Read more:

Read more: