It害羞草研究所檚 -12 C and a cold wind is amplifying the icy bite of the air. It害羞草研究所檚 Thursday morning, Dec. 1, about 9 a.m.

Sandy Bunting is busy picking up discarded pieces of wood and putting them in a bin, tidying up the area next to the tents that sit under trees across from the Salvation Army building on 3rd Street SE.

She stops for a minute to talk.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 really proud of them, there害羞草研究所檚 hardly any garbage anymore,害羞草研究所� she said of the seven people currently living in the tents.

She had been living rough in Salmon Arm for six years but recently moved into nearby Cedar Place, the 38-unit building for people who are without homes or at risk of becoming homeless. It opened in November 2021, a project of the Shuswap-Revelstoke branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), in partnership with BC Housing and the City of Salmon Arm.

Although she has moved into housing, she cares a lot about the people in tents. She hopes the town will open something soon.

害羞草研究所淚t is so cold out here and they need to be in, in the daytime. Nighttime they can curl up together. But daytime there害羞草研究所檚 nowhere they can go to drink coffee and just relax. They can害羞草研究所檛 relax. All day long out here. It害羞草研究所檚 very, very cold.害羞草研究所�

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She said some people are getting sick from being wet all the time. And she expresses her appreciation and pride for them all managing to live and survive in tents.

Bunting also said everyone appreciates all the help community members have been providing. She said blankets and tarps are always welcome, as are mittens, socks and jackets.

And she expresses her appreciation for Cedar Place. 

害羞草研究所淓verybody that works there is so positive, they say positive things to you every day. You害羞草研究所檙e like, 害羞草研究所榳hat the heck.害羞草研究所� And it makes you feel like you害羞草研究所檙e actually cared about.害羞草研究所�

She said she understands staffing at Cedar Place has improved over time and is now 害羞草研究所渁mazing.害羞草研究所� Things like bingo nights and movie nights stop residents who might have otherwise gone outside and done drugs or alcohol, she explained.

害羞草研究所淣ow we害羞草研究所檙e focusing on ourselves. But I still focus on them,害羞草研究所� she says of the tenters. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e changed so much害羞草研究所� I had my first shower in there and holy, I didn害羞草研究所檛 know my hair was dirty. I was washing in the river but with cold water. And we hardly ever got to have showers害羞草研究所�害羞草研究所�

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Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo is also concerned about the lack of a shelter in Salmon Arm, particularly during the freezing temperatures.

He said he knows 害羞草研究所渨ith absolute certainty害羞草研究所� of a Salmon Arm resident who offered up two parcels as potential lease sites but nothing has proceeded.

Kyllo said the housing minister met with him for 10 minutes on Nov. 24 when he also had an extended conversation with BC Housing.

He said he heard concerns about things like zoning and locations, but no remedies or definite dates.

Kyllo suggested solutions such as the ministry overriding zoning when necessary, contacting the First Nations bands regarding locations, or setting up a camp with trailers like those used in northern work camps.

He said BC Housing and the B.C. government are responsible for housing and have known about the need for a shelter since at least May when the Salvation Army closed the Lighthouse Emergency Shelter for good.

害羞草研究所淭he sad reality is, here we are at December 1st with temperatures freezing and snow on the ground.害羞草研究所�

He said the B.C. government害羞草研究所檚 statement about having trouble locating a site 害羞草研究所渄oesn害羞草研究所檛 provide much comfort for someone freezing in a tent.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e saying it害羞草研究所檚 an emergency, then act like it害羞草研究所檚 an emergency.害羞草研究所�

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Glenda Cooper, CMHA害羞草研究所檚 manager of supporting homefulness, said the association害羞草研究所檚 homeless outreach coordinator sees about 30 people regularly in Salmon Arm who are living rough.

害羞草研究所淲e know there are more we don害羞草研究所檛 see,害羞草研究所� she added.

She said warm toques, mitts and socks are always welcome.

害羞草研究所淎ny warm-weather gear is super appreciated.害羞草研究所�

Such donations can be dropped off at the CMHA害羞草研究所檚 Hudson Thrift Shoppe, Mondays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon. She asked that it be earmarked for people who are unhoused.

BC Housing was contacted for an update on a shelter and said it will provide a response to the Observer, possibly by the end of the day.

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