For the first time, civic space has been opened up in Surrey to house the homeless during this cold snap.
The Surrey Urban Mission has received permission to use a clubhouse on the Tom Binnie Park soccer field in Whalley to get the homeless off the streets and out of the cold as part of the extreme weather response program that’s activated in sub-zero temperatures or during long periods of rain.
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The mission says there just isn’t enough shelter space in Surrey.
Coun. Brenda Locke says being allowed to use civic space is a significant milestone.
“I do not understand why we haven’t gone to our own facilities before,” she said.
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Locke says no one should be sleeping outside in this weather.
“It’s shocking to see people at -7 C sleeping on concrete with only a sleeping bag between them and the concrete.”
She calls the situation unacceptable.
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