Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

DEEP FREEZE HITS KAMLOOPS

Winter storm leaves local agencies scrambling to find a place for those with nowhere else to go

Jan 12, 2020 | 5:47 PM

KAMLOOPS — Winter arrived in a big way in Kamloops Sunday morning, with temperatures dropping fast and snow blowing drifts all over the city. For those who don’t have a safe space to call home, there weren’t many options for a place to go to warm up. That left several local service providers scrambling to step up when those temperatures dropped down low.

It’s Sunday, and we’ve got nowhere for people to go inside, even if they’ve been in shelters,” said Bob Hughes, Executive Director of ASK Wellness.

Hughes voiced his frustration Sunday, with what he described as a lack of preparation on the part of many agencies who provide services to people in Kamloops experiencing homelessness.

“Our big concern is – I mean, we’re just getting started with it right now. We’re going to -29,” Hughes told CFJC Today. “It’s absolutely essential the community has at least a warming place.”

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Temperatures plummeted to -15 throughout the city on Sunday morning. The cold air was just one part of three Environment Canada special weather warnings – a wind warning, a blowing snow advisory, and the special weather statement about the cold air mass moving through the BC Interior.

“We’re going to go from -18 [Monday] as a high and an overnight low [Monday] night – certainly bundle up – down into the minus-twenties,” Ross MacDonald, Environment Canada meteorologist, explained. “Those kinds of temperatures will be with all through the week, so quite a chilly week is coming up.”

Hughes and some other staff members from ASK Wellness headed down to the Vic on the corner of Victoria and 4th Avenue on Sunday morning. The coffee shop was acting as a staging area for those with nowhere else to go to escape the cold.

“We literally just came down here to meet with one guy who was sleeping outside,” Hughes explained. “Before we knew it, we had ten people [show up].”

Image Credit: CFJC Today

The team was scrambling to create some space at the Crossroads Inn for whoever was in need. Hughes said he also contacted the Mustard Seed Kamloops, who opened up their doors on Sunday afternoon to give people another option to keep warm.

“I think a shoutout to Mustard Seed for taking the call today, and obviously CMHA’s Emerald Centre has opened their doors,” Hughes said. “It’s all hands on deck here as we try to make sure that we’ve at least got places for people to go.”

With the influx of people seeking respite from the elements, Hughes says if people want to donate socks or winter clothing, they can contact ASK Wellness or any of the organizations offering shelter.

“They can drop them off at Crossroads [Inn], for sure. That’s definitely a staging ground for us to deploy things. They can call our office line – (250)376-7558 – as we may definitely need more resources.”