Daily drop-in centre approved by Nanaimo Council despite numerous objections

“We have 31 days that we need to get through this cold period and make sure people who cannot help themselves for whatever reasons, and there’s numerous of them, that we do something for them.” Maartman said.

Support for the temporary fix was mirrored by five other councillors as the funding passed by a 6-3 vote. Councillors Sheryl Armstrong, Ian Thorpe and Jim Turley opposed.

The funding injection means the centre will operate weekdays from 8 a.m to 4 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It provides a warm, dry space with snacks and warm drinks.

The Caledonia Park warming centre operated by the 7-10 Club Society was originally used as a cold weather shelter and open once the temperature dropped below minus two.

The facility at Caledonia Park offers a warm, dry space to hang jackets and boots as well as get a snack and hot drink. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Coun. Ben Geselbracht said Council was “stuck in a really difficult position” and had tried to mitigate increased issues by upping bylaw presence, the policing budget and community cleaning efforts.

Dissenting voices were led by Armstrong, who suggested a regular service at one site could invite similar scenes from years past.

“We saw this at Tent City when we were told it would be one week, two weeks and we went into months. We started with 20 people, we ended up with 200 and some. There’s no doubt in my mind once this happens they will not leave that area because if you look at history and other communities, you will see they will stay.”

Armstrong, along with other councillors and Mayor Leonard Krog, chastised the provincial government for their apparent inaction on the issue and failure to provide adequate supports.

Complex care, treatment centres and detox facilities were all identified as needs for Nanaimo.

“There are people, in my view, who should either be in secure facilities getting care or should be in jail. In the meantime, many of them are just out there,” Krog told Council. “They’re suffering and the community is suffering but we’re not going to settle those issues here tonight.”

A warming centre at Caledonia Park near downtown Nanaimo will continue to serve as a daily drop-in facility courtesy $15,000 in funding from the City of Nanaimo. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

The discussion among Councillors was further informed through local residents pleading their case, suggesting the Caledonia Park facility was increasing crime and social disorder in the surrounding area.

Amber Harris, a Wall St. resident, said her own experience aligned with negative experiences many of her neighbours are having.

“We are constantly woken up by screams, profanity and yelling that goes on sometimes for hours. I recently was verbally attacked by someone with a mental [health challenge] at Bowen Park and the same person physically attacked my husband.”

Harris added she doesn’t feel safe walking through her neighbourhood or Bowen Park and will drive elsewhere to walk her dog.

Karen Kuwica, president of the Newcastle Community Assoc. and a Vancouver Ave. resident, said they are sympathetic to the various struggles people dealing with mental health or substance use challenges are going through.

She said neighbours want to see people receive the help they need.

“There’s not a person in the community that objects to a warming centre. Nobody wants to see anybody suffering unnecessarily, but a daily drop-in centre is entirely different and the unhoused community is responding to the drop-in centre by congregating in the area.”

She added the accumulation of people leads to an increase in issues in surrounding areas.

The association’s vice president, Fred MacDonald spoke to the environmental impact of a growing social disorder problem in the city.

He said the neighbouring Millstone River, a salmon bearing stream, was among many areas badly polluted.

“The parks and green spaces surrounding Caledonia Park are becoming a dumpsite and an open sewer. Park space is now unsafe from a security point of view and unuseable as recreation space because the environment is constantly degraded.”

MacDonald challenged Council to re-evaluate their priorities on the situation.

“I want you to ask yourself this question. What is the point of putting in bike lanes and banning plastic bags if right here outside our city, parks and green spaces are being systematically destroyed from a void of policy to protect them.”

7-10 Club Society Chair Gord Fuller told NanaimoNewsNOW they are actively trying to minimize the amount of garbage accumulating as a result of their warming centre clients.

“I get the frustration of the neighourhood, I totally get it, but would they rather have these people on the street all of the time as opposed to some of the time?”

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by Alex Rawnsley

Daily drop-in centre approved by Nanaimo Council despite numerous objections

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