Kitchener snow storage facility to temporarily house A Better Tent City

About 50 people living at A Better Tent City in Kitchener will move to a Kitchener snow storage facility Thursday.

The City of Kitchener announced Thursday it would offer up the facility at 1585 Battler Rd. as a temporary location for the housing project. It will be available through October 2021.

The tiny home community was told people had until June 20 to move from their current home at Lot 42 on Ardelt Place. The site was sold earlier this year.

"Obviously this was an urgent matter," Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo.

"This literally has come together since, basically, the weekend."

As of 1:30 p.m. Thursday, volunteer Jeff Willmer said the move was mostly complete.  

"The cabins have arrived on site, people are starting to move into them already and the electricians are starting to work to hook up power to the cabins," Willmer said.

'Immensely relieved'

Willmer said organizers had previously since chosen Thursday as the move-out date, in order to coordinate flatbed trucks and forklifts. It wasn't until Tuesday evening, he said, that they knew where they were going.

"I am immensely relieved," said Willmer. "We're very grateful to the city of Kitchener for making this property available."

Thirty-eight cabins will be moved by end of day Thursday, Willmer said. Some residents will live in tents on a temporary basis but he said everyone will soon have their own cabin.  

Grand River Transit volunteered a shuttle bus to help residents make the move, he said.  

New location

Vrbanovic said the Battler Road facility features a large paved surface, along with some grassy areas and berms for privacy. The pad is 22,450 square metres, though a city spokesperson said only "a small portion" will be used.

Organizers with A Better Tent City and the social services organization The Working Centre in Kitchener will reach out to surrounding neighbours and businesses over the next few days, the city said in a release.

A Better Tent City organizers had previously announced a plan to move to an agricultural property in Woolwich township owned by the Diocese of Hamilton.

That plan was put on hold following significant pushback from the community. Woolwich council said last week that organizers must go through the normal planning application process to move to the site — something that can take several months.

In a release, the City of Kitchener said the Battler Road location will be available while organizers continue their search for a more permanent location.  

Asked if they still plan to move to Woolwich Township, Willmer said their immediate hope is to settle into the temporary location, before considering options for the winter months.