Camp Hope Residents Transition to Temporary Emergency Shelter | The Canadian News

On Monday morning, some Camp Hope residents eagerly awaited their new temporary home: a 40-bed indoor emergency shelter operated by Regina Treaty Status Indian Services (RTSIS) and funded by the City of Regina.

The city temporarily rents the facility for a period of six months. The lease has been valued at around $ 16,000 per month by city officials.

The exact location will be maintained as necessary to protect the privacy of those using the emergency shelter. The only information that has been released to the public is that the shelter is on Hamilton Street in the Warehouse district.

Organizers of the camp who facilitated the transition said that the elderly, disabled, pregnant and those with medical problems were prioritized for the move, although as early as Monday afternoon, there were still a few spots available at the shelter. The center is also open to other people who may not be from the camp.

Some say they are looking forward to the move, as a city bus was made available to transport people from the camp to the shelter.

“I just need a place to stay, just for the moment. This has really helped me, because other than that, I don’t know what I’d do, ”said Morley Redwood, a Camp Hope resident.

Redwood is a Fort Qu’appelle veteran and lost both legs while serving in Afghanistan.

He said he ended up at camp on Friday after falling victim to a rental scam, which caused him to send rent money via electronic transfer.

Redwood says she suffers from PTSD, social anxiety, and regular nightmares, but is glad she was able to find a sense of home at camp.

“I spoke to a guy last night, he’s a volunteer, he stays overnight, he’s a super nice guy and that’s what made me feel comfortable, it’s the way they treated me,” Redwood explained.

He mentions one thing he appreciates very much about those who work at the site is that they were non-judgmental and quite compassionate to the multitude of struggles people face, ranging from home insecurity and substance abuse to mental health issues and food shortage.

Redwood also said that she plans for her stay at the shelter to be only for a short period of time, until she can get more money to live elsewhere and have the ability to pay the rent.

He adds that he hopes the kind of meticulous care he and others experienced at the camp will continue at the new shelter, especially when it comes to saving lives in relation to overdoses.

“What are they going to do when they overdose? Here, someone comes running, someone saves your life. Is that going to happen there? “asked Ryan MacMullen, Camp Hope volunteer.

“Safe consumption … that’s basically the concern,” MacMullen said.

He goes on to say that he’s glad people have a place to stay indoors with food, adding that he’s genuinely concerned about people who overdose and die if they don’t get the immediate medical attention they need.

Camp organizers said they have been trying to build trust among residents, especially as they will not be part of the operations at the shelter and will take a step back as RTSIS will be in charge of the facilities.

Many of the organizers and volunteers will refocus on the Regina Needle Recovery & Community Support program.

“We’re just trying to facilitate that transfer of trust as best we can, so that people aren’t afraid of space or hear things that may not be accurate,” said Alysia Johnson, an organizer for Camp Hope.

Some in the camp choose not to go to the shelter, while others are reluctant to move.

“Some of the unknowns are really scary for them. Change is difficult and when you get used to having a community, it can be very difficult to get out of it and not really know if you are going to keep that community in a different environment, ”Johnson said.

Residents who choose not to go to the shelter can stay in a hotel, an accommodation that is being set up by social services, but that’s only for two days.

“I guess our hope would be that their stay would extend beyond two days, because certainly in two days, there wouldn’t be enough time for people to enter the new space properly,” Johnson explained.

After that, people will have to decide what to do next. There are a few other shelters in the city, however these have been filling up very quickly recently.

Although the new center offers 40 beds, in some days the camp has seen more than 100 people pass by seeking help.

Some people facing homelessness said they prefer to stay on the streets at times and away from shelters, due to negative experiences.

Johnson adds that he feels the camp has helped shed much-needed light on the urgent homeless problem the city is facing.

“I would just say that we passed through it as a city last year and no one was paying attention,” he said.

“So this is really nothing new in our community, it’s just that there is more awareness now. Hopefully this is an opportunity to have those discussions and keep an accurate record of who is sleeping outside at any given time. “

As for the emergency center, according to RTSIS, people staying there will not be able to consume drugs or alcohol at the facility.

When people enter the facility and a search shows they have drugs or alcohol, the items will be safely stored. If you do not want your bags to be searched, they will be stored safely.

Each individual will have their own cubicle with a bed and curtains to separate them from others to provide privacy.

The city says the shelter meets all fire and life safety requirements.

While residents were being moved, city workers dismantled the fence surrounding the camp and cleaned the remains of trash or debris from the site.

Camp keepers say they were told by city officials that from tonight onwards, officers would begin to address statutes they had previously been ignoring, meaning no more tents would be allowed in the park without to be issued a ticket. .