By Ian Holmes

City of Nanaimo reviewing public showers for homeless

Dec 19, 2017 | 2:11 PM

NANAIMO — Options are being pursued to make a public shower facility available for Nanaimo’s homeless.

City Council instructed staff during their Monday, Dec. 18 meeting to work with community partners to make public showers available.

Coun. Gord Fuller said a lack of places for the homeless to shower is a complaint he’s heard for years.

“If you’re homeless and you’re trying to find a place to live it helps if you go there clean and not dirty…Being clean is extremely helpful in finding any gainful employment whatsoever.”

Fuller said he doesn’t like the idea of the homeless using the showers at the Aquatic Centre, while they’re not allowed using the Nanaimo Port Authority showers on the city’s waterfront.

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Coun. Jim Kipp said there are options for public shower use throughout Nanaimo, including at Caledonia Park where showers are already in place for sports teams.

The public shower facility push came a week after comments from homeless advocate Leon Cake, who said such a service would help restore dignity for the homeless.

“The biggest question asked is, they want showers, they would like to go and have a shower,” Cake told Council Dec. 11.

The motion to make public showers available to Nanaimo’s homeless passed unanimously.

Bruce Anderson, the City’s manager of community and cultural planning, told NanaimoNewsNOW he expects the public shower request will be included in a downtown public disorder report, which Council should receive in the next couple of months.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes