Indoor spaces for those who need to get out of the cold are available around the clock in Gibsons.
The Town of Gibsons is operating a daytime drop-in warming centre in the Marine Room of the Arts Building at the corner of Winn and South Fletcher Roads. This service will continue to operate from noon until 7 p.m. on days when the temperature is 0 C or lower.
Silas White is coordinating centre services. In an interview with Coast Reporter, he noted that while the centre is open to anyone, the hours have been set to ensure that people using local overnight shelter services have a warm space to spend time when those facilities are closed. Centre volunteers are working cooperatively with other groups on the Coast, including the Salvation Army and RainCity Housing to ensure those in need are aware the warming centre is open and to transport them between day and overnight safe spaces.
Warm food, snacks and beverages are available at no charge in the centre. The facility also has a television and videos, washroom facilities with a shower and sleeping mats available to its clientele.
White said that over the past week about seven people have been using the service daily. The space can accommodate about 12 people. It can accept pets and over the past few days two dogs have been guests at the centre, he said.
Gibsons mayor Bill Beamish noted that the province provided a grant under its Strengthening Communities’ Services Program that pays for the drop-in space and the coordinator costs. He noted that all additional workers at the centre are volunteers. Over the past days, numerous community members and town staff have volunteered their time to help out at the centre.
“This is an example of the true meaning of Christmas in Gibsons,” said Beamish.
White said the community response to a call for donations of food and supplies for the centre, a cost also not covered by the grant, has been amazing. "I put out a call on Facebook in one post and we received like a dozen responses within a few hours.” As of Dec. 29, White said the centre’s needs for donations had been met for the time being.
“I ask people to look out on Facebook for posts about things we need," said White. Donors are asked to contact White at 604-741-7023, before showing up to volunteer or deliver donations.
“Drop-in and shelter services are very critical in helping people get warmth, food and socialization with others. Apart from these facilities, there are very few options for people who live in tents in our community. It is a reality that we want to change,” said Beamish.
White noted that the warming centre is using the same COVID-19 safety protocols as local shelter services. Visitors are encouraged to wear masks in common areas and volunteers helping out at the centre mask up. “BC housing and the provincial government have decided to give operators support and have relaxed COVID protection requirements for these types of services over the past week…It’s a balance and the top priority is to ensure people don’t freeze to death.”
