Homeless shelter at Commonwealth Stadium opens tonight as city deals with extreme cold
Temporary facility will offer day and night beds, meals, showers and other services
With Edmonton under an extreme cold warning, a temporary, 24/7 shelter for people experiencing homelessness opens Thursday evening at Commonwealth Stadium.
Operated by The Mustard Seed, the shelter will provide day and night accommodation, three meals per day and access to showers and hygiene items. Users will have access to secure storage space for their belongings.
Initial capacity will be for 50 people, but will increase to 200 by Monday, the city said in a news release Thursday. The shelter will operate until the end of March 2022.
Once the shelter is fully operational, users will have access to services that can help them transition out of the shelter system.
Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning Thursday afternoon for Edmonton and most of northern and central Alberta as far south as Cochrane.
Extreme wind chill values of –40 to –45 will be felt in most areas, while the Peace region in northwestern Alberta could be affected by wind chills as low as –50.
The Commonwealth Stadium shelter will include an overdose prevention and treatment site operated by Boyle Street Community Services.
The shelter and overdose prevention and treatment site are funded by the province, with support from the city.
"We are grateful to our partners at the province and in the homeless-serving sector for quickly coming together to create additional shelter space for vulnerable Edmontonians this winter," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said in a news release Thursday.
"By working together, we can keep people safe in the short term and create long-term solutions that will eliminate the need for temporary shelters in the future."
Jason Luan, minister of community and social services, said the provincial government is pleased to support the city's request for funding.
"Alberta's government is committed to making sure vulnerable Edmontonians have a safe place to stay this winter, and with the shelter now open at Commonwealth Stadium, there are more shelter beds available than ever before," Luan said.
Access to the shelter is through Gate 5 on the west side of Commonwealth Stadium. Wayfinding signs will be posted around the building.
The stadium is accessible by LRT at Stadium Station and by bus routes 2, 3, and 101.
Commonwealth Stadium is closed for the season and the shelter will not affect regular facility operations, the city said.
The city said The Mustard Seed has an urgent need for donations of winter wear such as coats, boots, and gloves. More information can be found at: theseed.ca/edmonton-urgently-needed-items.