In the absence of a dedicated indoor cold-weather shelter, a Parksville woman looks to help those left out in the cold.
On Sunday, Feb. 14, Kelly Morris created a cold-weather camp in the back parking lot of St. Anne害羞草研究所檚 church on Church Road.
Since there are currently no cold-weather shelters in the Parksville Qualicum Beach region, Morris said she would have to make due with warm tents.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no doors open and these people are literally freezing,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not OK for us to sit back and watch.害羞草研究所�
Morris plans on keeping the camp accessible until significant efforts are made to help the vulnerable population and 害羞草研究所渟omething害羞草研究所� opens up.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 16, though there are currently only two tents in the camp and only one camper at the St. Anne害羞草研究所檚 location, Morris anticipates the camp getting larger, as people bring their own tents.
She said that with the supplies they have, they can provide shelter for eight people.
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Morris said she chose St. Anne害羞草研究所檚 parking lot 害羞草研究所渂ecause nobody can move them from the church.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the only place they can actually go for any kind of sanctuary.害羞草研究所�
She said when people experiencing homelessness set up camp within the city in an area that allows for overnight camping, such as Mark害羞草研究所檚 Nature Park, city staff will ask them to pack up and take what they can carry the next morning.
A lot of their belongings are left behind, such as winter clothing and other winter essentials, she said.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e really hoping that something will give. I害羞草研究所檓 pretty sure there害羞草研究所檚 going to be some doors opening up. I害羞草研究所檓 hoping.害羞草研究所�
Rev. Christine Muise, the Priest Associate for St. Anne害羞草研究所檚 and a founding member of OHEART (a local organization trying to find a shelter solution in the Parksville Qualicum Beach region), believes the campers would be far better placed in a municipal building but understands that 害羞草研究所渢hese people have nowhere else to go.害羞草研究所�
Located in the parking lot, tucked behind the 127-year-old wood church, are portable toilets where campers can 害羞草研究所渁s human beings, use the bathroom.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not in a position where I can, right now, let them go find somewhere else because they害羞草研究所檝e, as far as I know, tried other places. And there害羞草研究所檚 no actual spots within the community that they could safely sleep or go to the bathroom,害羞草研究所� said Muise.
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