A winter shelter at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church on Machleary St. is opening for another year, with 24 beds offered for those living rough on Nanaimo streets. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

WEATHER RESPITE

24-bed cold weather shelter set to open in Nanaimo

Nov 18, 2021 | 9:27 AM

NANAIMO — A place designed to provide shelter from the harsh winter months is opening again for another year.

The Nanaimo Family Life Association, in partnership with the Nanaimo Region John Howard Society and St. Peters Roman Catholic Church will operate a cold weather shelter on a nightly basis, beginning Monday, Nov. 22.

Deborah Hollins, association executive director, told NanaimoNewsNOW the 24 beds at 301 Machleary St. on offer will be in high demand.

“We do anticipate there will be times with severe inclement weather where we’re going to have to meet a higher need than that and we’ll look at that when those times come.”

Doors will open nightly around 10 p.m. and close at 7 a.m. Late night hot dinners and cold to-go breakfasts will also be provided.

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The shelter will remain open until March 31, 2022.

Hollins said the simple goal of the shelter is to provide a safe, warm place for people to stay during the darker, colder and wetter months.

“There will be staff present that will be able to offer resources to residents who require certain things,” Hollins said. “We’ll be making referrals and making sure people know where they can go to get their needs met.”

The Nanaimo Family Life Association was hoping to open the shelter sooner, but required time to secure a partner in the John Howard Society, work out budgets and other considerations.

Funding through the shelter comes via BC Housing.

This year’s facility at St. Peters is opening a week later than in 2020. The same 24 beds were in place last winter in order to allow residents to properly distance.

St. Peter’s church has previously handled up to 35 beds.

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