The Unitarian Shelter on Townsite Rd. will be owned and operated by Nanaimo Family Life Association, effective July 1. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

new owners

‘A program that has been so well tended:’ vital Nanaimo shelter program changes hands

Jan 22, 2024 | 4:25 PM

NANAIMO — A long-time lifeline for people in the community is coming under new ownership.

Operation of the Nanaimo Unitarian Shelter on Townsite Rd. will transition from the First Unitarian Fellowship to the Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA), effective July 1, 2024, following a unanimous vote among the shelter’s board.

Deborah Hollins, executive director of NFLA, will become the shelter’s new lead and replace Paul Manly in the position. She said this move is the result of a lot of discussions over recent weeks.

“They have done an incredible job and part of the handing over of this work to NFLA includes us staying connected with the folks at the Unitarian church. They will help us to be able to continue best practices, they will act as consulting as we take this over for the first number of months.”

The burden of operating the shelter was seen as a major driving factor behind the decision from the shelter’s board.

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In a statement, board chair Don Gayton said the work had become “unsustainable for the board and other congregational volunteers”, putting too much pressure on a small group of people.

Resources and past experiences of NFLA will see the shelter, which has run since 2009, continue to serve people who need it

“Nanaimo Family Life is a multi-service agency. We have many different programs that work for folks who are experiencing issues in their lives. That work, that experience we’ve gained will bode us really well as well move into taking over the Unitarian shelter.”

Hollins expected staff and guests at the shelter will see minimal change, as he praised how the shelter had operated in the years previous.

“We’re taking on a program that has been so well tended and we feel really, really blessed to be able to do this work and follow the examples of the Unitarians.”

Staff who were hired by the Unitarian Fellowship will be laid off and then re-hired under the same collective agreement.

Members of the church will also sit on an advisory committee to help NFLA with its initial operation.

In addition to the shelter on Townsite Rd., NFLA is also taking over the operation of the shower program at Caledonia Park, which is funded by the City of Nanaimo.

Hours of operation for the shower program are poised to expand after councillors provisionally approved extra funding late last year.

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