As a cold front continues to hammer B.C., the City of Kelowna has announced several emergency warming options for those experiencing homelessness.
Originally, the city announced it would provide a warming bus from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, but that has changed. Now, the service will run from 5 p.m. until 9 a.m. until Saturday. The bus has a capacity of 24 people and can be accessed at the corner of Richter Street and the Rail Trail.
The city has also secured 27 insulated tents and is in the process of getting them delivered. Further details will be announced in the coming days.
“We are continuing to meet with community groups and individuals who are working to find more long-term solutions to help our vulnerable population during the cold months,” explained Kelowna’s mayor, Tom Dyas.
“For the time being, we’re working on a number of fronts including extended warming bus hours and insulted tents to help people sheltering outside during this extreme weather event.”
At this time, those living outside can also go to the Parkinson Rec Centre, the Metro Central Drop-in Centre and the Kelowna Downtown Library to escape from the cold. A peer navigator will be on site.
Front-line workers, City Bylaw Services, RCMP and other community outreach agencies will be monitoring the well-being of those living outside — handing out blankets, sleeping bags, tents, socks, hand/feet warmers, and helping people find shelters beds. In Kelowna, there are 263 shelter beds.
An online shelter dashboard was recently introduced in Kelowna, to help front-line workers assist those in finding available shelters. To view, click here.
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