Pembroke – As temperatures drop and the wind chill increases, as snow, sleet and freezing rain become part of the daily forecast, those homeless in the Pembroke area can find some relief from the elements this winter thanks to an initiative by Pembroke council, jointly supported by the County of Renfrew and Laurentian Valley Township.
At the October meeting of Renfrew County council, Pembroke Mayor Ron Gervais and Councillor Troy Purcell made a pitch for financial support for an overnight warming shelter in the city, and recently at a special meeting the county announced a contribution of $80,000 towards the $200,000 goal.
At another special meeting, city council pledged $100,000 which, combined with the county’s contribution, and an earlier commitment of $20,000 by Laurentian Valley Township council, meets the goal.
Coun. Purcell, who is the lead on the project from the city, said the centre is definitely a go.
“Having Laurentian Valley kick in $20,000 and the county $80,000, and then going back to the city and we actually approved $100,000, so currently we have a $200,000 operating budget for the 2023/2024 season. Everyone really stepped up to the plate and I really do appreciate that.
“I think it just shows the importance of issues we have in our community with the most vulnerable not having an appropriate place to get refuge from the cold,” he added.
He noted Pembroke council had originally denied the request but committed $100,000 when a second request was made after the county presentation.
“It just goes to show you what community is all about. It’s not just a Pembroke problem, it’s not a Renfrew County problem, it’s actually a problem right across Canada and other countries.
“It just demonstrates the power in terms of community and everybody getting together for a single cause and I think it’s going to be a great outcome for those individuals that don’t have a place to stay warm over the winter,” he added.
He said the Town of Petawawa was meeting Monday night to discuss the request and additional support may be forthcoming.
Coun. Purcell noted the county had recently released its Point In Time (PIT) survey to identify the number of homeless in the city and the report identified 55 homeless individuals.
“Last year, I think the Point In Time count was about 40, so we’re starting to see increases year after year,” he remarked. “So, it’s the right thing to do.”
He expected the PIT figures to be high, knowing there has been an annual increase, coupled with increasing costs.
“The supports and services that are out there are really taxed and the dollars that are out there to provide that support, such as the Homeless Prevention Program, just aren’t available because their dollars are stretched so thin because of utilization.”
Coun. Purcell said along with the municipal partners who are providing the financial support, the centre will be governed and staffed by volunteers from The Grind, who operated a warming centre last year, and members of the Pembroke and Area Community Taskforce (PACT).
“They’ll be responsible for the operations and will be performing all the day-to-day tasks and addressing any concerns as part of the agreement we have in place,” he explained. “(County) Warden (Peter) Emon put together an ad-hoc committee and there are representatives from every municipality as well as PACT and The Grind, as well as Dr. (Jason) Morgenstern, (Medical Officer of Health)”.
He said the group will meet weekly to make operational decisions going forward.
New Site
Coun. Purcell said while Zion Lutheran Church in Pembroke had been proposed as a possible site for the warming centre, that changed.
“It just wasn’t in the cards for that particular congregation,” he said. “The back-up plan was to look at housing it locally downtown in the corridor where the services are available.”
As a result, a construction office-style trailer is being brought to the Pembroke Farmer’s Market property on Lake Street, which is close to the mental health drop-in centre, the health unit, and addiction services and supports. A 12’x52’ trailer will be located at the site with a separate trailer with washrooms and warm water available.
“The building will be equipped with pleather lounge chairs for patrons to use and also there will be two or three security personnel on premises.”
A security assessment is being performed this week and will be reviewed. He added along with personnel on scene, there will also be video surveillance equipment installed to ensure the safety of patrons and workers.
The centre will be open daily from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. and will accommodate about 30 people. The Grind will continue to offer its hot meals and other programs during the day.
“Even though the Point In Time count says 55, there are some individuals who may not utilize the services. So, we’ll continue to monitor in terms of utilization and we’ll respond accordingly.”
Coun. Purcell hopes to have the trailer on site by the end of this week with a goal to be open by December 1.
“I was getting very concerned in regard to the weather and what that looks like, especially for those individuals who don’t have a place of refuge, and the timing was our biggest concern to make sure these individuals had a place to get shelter from the cold.”
He said the centre is only the start of what needs to happen in the long term.
“We’ve got the momentum now where the county is actually putting together a delegation at ROMA (Rural Ontario Municipal Association) to discuss permanent funding for this type of operation,” he said. “We’re also looking at various different areas where we could provide these services out of the downtown core and are working closely with council in regard to zoning and coming up with a more strategic plan for next year.
“But I think this is a great step,” he added. “It’s a temporary solution in regard to the trailer, but this is the first step forward in providing those meaningful support services to individuals that really, truly need it.”
Working Together
Mayor Ron Gervais told the Leader he was very pleased to see everyone step up to make the centre a reality.
“It’s nice to see all the different partnerships and all the different government levels coming together to secure everything to make it happen.”
He noted city council had proposed the farmer’s market area, providing the board approved the idea.
“And we just got the letter on the weekend saying they’re agreeable as long as there’s no cost, which there won’t be any cost to the Pembroke Farmer’s Market,” he commented. “I’m very pleased that we’re doing something for the less fortunate.”
Mayor Gervais said he is delighted the city, county and LV are all contributing.
“It shows a commitment from all the different levels,” he said.
He noted The Grind will continue to be an integral part of the service delivery, with hot meals and referrals to needed services being offered there, as well as their involvement at the new centre.
“It’s pulling everyone together and I’m glad to see that,” he remarked.
When city council was discussing the issue, he said many of the councillors had their hearts on their sleeves, knowing they had to act quickly to address the need with the weather changing.
“I keep indicating that municipal councils, other councils, and other levels of government don’t turn on a dime. I’m aware of how crucial this is and the timing of it, but I’m also aware that in terms of how long it takes municipalities to address certain issues.”
He commended Warden Emon earlier Monday morning for calling a special meeting of county council to address the issue, rather than have it go to committee, then come back to council, which would have meant a lengthy delay.
Warden Emon Pleased
Warden Emon told the Leader he is happy the county found the $80,000 for its contribution.
“It’s a significant part of our population that needs assistance to get through the winter. Rough camping is not a good thing for anybody on an ongoing basis, but it certainly is not a good thing during the winter months in Canada.
“So, we felt compelled to assist the city, Laurentian Valley, The Grind and PACT to make sure we keep that part of our population safe while we also work with others for harm reduction and try to get them into some of the community services they need to try and change their living conditions,” he added.
He re-iterated they have requested a joint delegation for themselves and the city with the minister during ROMA, adding they are also penning a request letter under his and Mayor Gervais’ signature to both the prime minister and Premier Doug Ford for support.
Warden Emon said the fact county council expedited the request stemmed from the county asking Mayor Gervais and Coun. Purcell to join them at the table after their presentation for the discussion, where they agreed to bring it to a special meeting on November 9.
At that point, it was agreed to set up the ad-hoc committee, which he felt was extremely important as the centre would be operating with public funds, so reports would be provided for all contributors.
Grind Director Delighted
Jerry Novack, executive director at The Grind, said they have committed to run the warming centre with their staff.
“And we’ll be hiring a coordinator and we’ll be working with the volunteers from PACT,” he noted.
He said it is very encouraging to see the city, the county and the community coming together on the project.
“And not just The Grind trying to solve this problem of homelessness. I think it’s nice that we’ve all come together to work on a solution and come the first of December, we’ll have a warming centre.”
Mr. Novack said the trailer will be arriving Friday and the security will be handled by Pro-Tec 5, the security company that oversaw the warming centre at The Grind last year.
Started With PACT
Steve Boland, chair of PACT, and a member of the congregation at Zion Lutheran Church in Pembroke, said the board of the church identified the need for the centre in February of 2023, formed PACT, and sought out partners like The Grind and others. He made a presentation to Pembroke council in mid-September, and the rest is history.
The congregation at Zion voted on the idea of hosting the centre and although over 50 per cent supported the idea, PACT felt going forward it might cause a serious division within the congregation.
“We didn’t want to create that kind of a problem in the church,” he remarked. “But the church membership has indicated they still will be there to help as volunteers.
“It’s a good news story really,” he added. “It took a bit of work to get everybody on board – the county is involved, Laurentian Valley is involved, and the city is involved financially.
“We have numerous people and some businesses that have preferred to remain nameless at this point that have been involved in the community and who are part of PACT,” he added. “We’ve got good support and we’re looking forward to being able to help these folks now that the weather is really turning cold.”
