With temperatures heading towards -30 C, one Salmon Arm man couldn害羞草研究所檛 wait another day for an overnight emergency shelter.

Emphasizing he doesn害羞草研究所檛 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 Army害羞草研究所檚 Lighthouse emergency shelter in May 2022 and BC Housing害羞草研究所檚 months-long search for a site. He was upset to read that BC Housing recently said it was looking at all options.

害羞草研究所淪o as the ship is sinking, we害羞草研究所檙e investigating all options害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� he remarked.

害羞草研究所淚 know there害羞草研究所檚 a gentleman that said 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檒l do it. I害羞草研究所檝e got the land, I害羞草研究所檒l get it serviced. We害羞草研究所檒l bring in portables.害羞草研究所� A few weeks we were looking into that. We could have had housing set up, the camp-style housing within three weeks害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚n our culture, we害羞草研究所檝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. It害羞草研究所檚 wrong, it害羞草研究所檚 so wrong.害羞草研究所�

He said he害羞草研究所檚 aware homelessness is a complex issue and there害羞草研究所檚 no pat answer.

害羞草研究所淏ut this, this, is ridiculous.害羞草研究所�

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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.

害羞草研究所淪he said, 害羞草研究所榯he liability, we could lose everything.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 sad, that we害羞草研究所檙e liability-driven,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 about liability. Are you kidding me?害羞草研究所�

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 there害羞草研究所檚 not that much liability and he had to do it.

害羞草研究所淪omebody害羞草研究所檚 got to do something.害羞草研究所�

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At that moment on Dec. 20, he received a call from Ben害羞草研究所檚 Towing. Manager Rachel Brown was calling at the end of her work day about something else, but he asked if the company害羞草研究所檚 truck was available. He explained what he was thinking and she didn害羞草研究所檛 hesitate. 害羞草研究所榃e害羞草研究所檙e on it.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淭hey actually had to use a tow truck to pull the truck away from the trailer they needed, because that truck wouldn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

Brown said the drivers are awesome and deserve credit.

害羞草研究所淓verybody was pretty excited to do something like this.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚f that was somebody害羞草研究所檚 dog, it would have had a shelter,害羞草研究所� he remarked.

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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.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e just doing what needs to be done. Everybody has dropped the ball. I can害羞草研究所檛 believe we seem to treat other sectors of our population and our dogs and cats, better than people living on the streets. I just can害羞草研究所檛 believe in Canada we came to this,害羞草研究所� 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.

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At the new Caf茅 at the Lighthouse, which is a warming centre in the former shelter building, patrons look happy. It害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 highly commendable what they did. And they did it at their own risk害羞草研究所� We害羞草研究所檝e been asking the council there, are you going to open up a shelter? Before the snow even fell, all we害羞草研究所檝e heard is, we害羞草研究所檙e talking about it, for months now. It害羞草研究所檚 bloody cold out there and it害羞草研究所檚 probably saving lives.害羞草研究所�

Asked if he was comfortable in the sea can, he replied: 害羞草研究所淐omfortable, as in I didn害羞草研究所檛 freeze to death.害羞草研究所�

He added he is grateful for community members.

害羞草研究所淥n the flip side, the amount of community spirit the town has shown in the last while has been impressive.害羞草研究所�

A woman named Debbie said she had a good sleep in the sea can. She害羞草研究所檚 also grateful for the caf茅.

害羞草研究所淥h yes. Where else would we go?害羞草研究所�

She and others said they害羞草研究所檙e thankful for the firewood that害羞草研究所檚 been dropped off on the pallets by the tents, and they would appreciate more if it害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淲e did what made sense, not just what was driven by liability concerns,害羞草研究所� he said.

He害羞草研究所檇 like to see the community have a real conversation about how people can work together so Salmon Arm will have an emergency shelter.

害羞草研究所淥r people will die.害羞草研究所�

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