Nanaimo’s Unitarian Fellowship considers opening its extreme weather shelter every night to end of winter
The extreme weather shelter for homeless people in Nanaimo may be open every night for the rest of the winter, after city council approved a grant to pay for operating costs. The shelter had been opening intermittently, depending upon weather conditions such as the temperature or the amount of rainfall predicted for the city—while advocates had been lobbying for an every-night opening. The Unitarian Fellowship, which operates the shelter on Townsite Road, will consult its neighbours and assess whether an every night of the week opening will be possible.
We speak with Joyce Hedges and Bill Hedges, who co-coordinate the shelter on behalf of the First Unitarian Fellowship of Nanaimo, and with City of Nanaimo councillor Fred Pattje.