By Chad Klassen

An inside look at the homeless storage unit in Kamloops

Apr 3, 2018 | 6:02 PM

KAMLOOPS — Starting next Monday, many of the homeless population will have a permanent address at 48 West Victoria Street, a city-owned building across from City Hall that will be the new home to a storage unit for people on the street. 

Sixty-three tupperware containers will be readily available for people to store their belongings that they would otherwise have to carry around.

The storage unit will be run by the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society with funding from the federal government. 

“This is exactly some of the things we actually do. The Friendship Centre has been around since 1972 and they’ve always had an open-door policy, so everyone that comes in the door we provide services to them,” said executive director Victor Tom. “We don’t turn anybody away. This is one of the things that a lot of people have been asking about.” 

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On Tuesday, six days before the unit opens, the media received a tour of the facility on West Victoria Street to get an inside look at the operation. 

There will be two people allowed in the building at a time in the front space, and upon request with a password or bin number, staff members from the Friendship Society will slide the person’s bin through into the front room. 

“What’s going to happen is there’s an entrance way where the people can come in and they’ll be able to put all their stuff into one bin,” said Tom. “And that bin will be weighed, so a maximum of 50 pounds. Also, they get to put their stuff into a clear white bag and the employees can see what’s going in there.”

The Friendship Society and City of Kamloops says this storage unit is not only meant to help the homeless with their belongings but also to forward people onto the services they need. The services is free, but the only stipulation is people have to return at least every three days. 

“The idea there is that there’s contact made, just to check in on your stuff and really just also for the staff to check in on your overall well-being,” said city social development and community supervisor Jen Casorso. “There is no cost for the service, so that’s kind of like your cost, right, to say ‘hi, I’m here today. I’m bin whatever. My password is x. I don’t need my stuff today, but I’m letting you know I’m ok.’”

The storage unit will officially open on Monday, April 9, and will run daily from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.