New emergency shelter in Kitchener to open at the former Schwaben Club Thursday
Goal for shelter to eventually operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week with increased capacity
A new emergency shelter will open at the former Schwaben Club in Kitchener on Thursday.
It will replace the emergency shelter currently operating at the former Edith MacIntosh Child Care Centre, which is set to close after Wednesday night.
The new shelter — located at 1668 King St. E. — will continue to be run by The Working Centre and will have space for up to 70 people from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m., seven days a week during the "first few months" of the first phase of operations, the region said in a release.
"In selecting the location, we considered the feasibility of activating the site quickly to provide urgent response, its proximity to public transportation, the availability of support services and the viability from a service provider perspective," Kelly-Anne Salerno, assistant director of housing operations and administration, said in a release.
The new shelter will also be inclusive, the region said, to support all gender identities, couples and pets.
During phase two, the goal is for the shelter to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week with increased capacity for a period of 18 to 24 months.
New shelter part of interim housing solutions
A point-in-time count in September 2021 showed there were more than 1,000 people currently experiencing homelessness across the region and about 450 people experiencing chronic homelessness.
The new emergency shelter is part of the region's interim housing solutions strategy that was approved by council in August in an effort to address unsheltered homelessness in the region.
The region will also be asking for community feedback on its homelessness master plan that will look to longer-term solutions to prevent and end homelessness.
Peter Sweeney, commissioner of community services for the region, said in the press release that any future plans will require "the support and understanding of the broader community."
"We will be asking the community to be active participants in the public consultation that will take place as part of the development of the homelessness master plan in early 2023," Sweeney said.
He said anyone with questions or feedback about the new shelter can reach out to the region.