New homeless shelter in Thompson offers space for 4 times as many people

A new homeless shelter opened Thursday that quadruples the number of beds available for people in need of a place to stay in Thompson, Man.

The Thompson healing centre, a 9,000-square-foot facility, will be able to shelter up to 100 people in winter months and 70 during warmer months — a significant increase from the old 24-bed shelter it replaces. 

The long-awaited facility is located in the Polaris 5 building in the previous University College of the North area on Princeton Drive in the northern city. It takes the place of the former centre, which was located near the RCMP detachment.

With the new shelter now open, the old shelter will be closing its doors this weekend. It will have staff on hand to help direct people to the new healing centre, should that be required.

Isabelle Beardy, a community member who knows people who are unsheltered, says the new healing centre marks a significant improvement compared to the previous shelter. 

"I've seen the [old] shelter inside and [people] were sleeping on the floor," she said. "This will be a lot better for them."

"I know a lot of people out on the street," she said. "I've seen their struggle. Some of them have their own camps, out in the bush. Yeah, this'll be good for them."

People can enter the facility at any time of day and can stay as long as they want. Use of alcohol or other drugs isn't allowed inside the centre, but is allowed outdoors.

Thompson, which has a population of just over 13,000 people, has come under scrutiny for putting intoxicated people in police holding cells due to lack of space elsewhere. 

Lynelle Zahayko, a social worker for the Northern Regional Health Authority, says she has a deep investment in the new facility, and will be recommending it her patients.

Her office is at the city's primary care clinic, located downtown where the old homeless shelter was.

"The demographic that we serve, we see the needs that they have, the gaps that exist," she said.

"They're facing all of these barriers.… How do we break those barriers down to ensure that they're getting the care that they need and deserve?"

Zahayko also notes that the biggest need the centre will address for its clients is helping them preserve their dignity.

"To me, I feel like whatever your experience is, whatever your situation, your circumstances are … we need to provide and give them a space to feel that dignity."

The facility includes six rooms — each with multiple beds — along with three showers, washrooms, a small kitchen, an activity area and a downstairs "cold weather" hub that includes mats for recovering clients to sleep on, said Kim Hickes, YWCA Thompson executive director and co-ordinator, during a tour on Wednesday.

The centre will offer internet access at some point, though it is still in the works.