Herb Jamieson homeless shelter converts daytime beds to community space

Some changes to the mode the Herb Jamieson Centre operates caught those who usage the Edmonton homeless structure by surprise.

The men’s exigency structure tally by the Hope Mission astatine 100 Street and 105A Avenue has a capableness of implicit 400 radical and is expected to run 24/7, but a announcement indicated posted connected the doorway led radical to judge it volition nary longer beryllium unfastened during the day.

“I’m conscionable confused connected why,” said Branden Adams, who is stateless but stays astatine the Herb Jamieson overnight.

He said helium learned Tuesday nighttime astir the changes coming Wednesday morning. First, helium said a unit subordinate came into the bath and told radical they should get immoderate slumber soon, arsenic they were being sent connected their mode earlier than mean the pursuing morning. He besides saw a announcement astir the change.

“They posted up a poster stating that we’re going to beryllium kicked retired astatine 6:30 each morning, whereas earlier it would beryllium 8:30 that they would aftermath america up and then, you know, instrumentality our clip leaving,” helium said, explaining radical could past instrumentality 2 hours aboriginal either to driblet in, oregon person a structure furniture for the day.

Adams said the structure being unfastened during the time allowed unit to intervene with aesculapian assistance if idiosyncratic was overdosing — retired connected the streets, helium said radical successful those situations tin autumn dormant and frost to death.

“That happens rather often — radical bash overdose — but thankfully they’re present and they person unit that are trained to Narcan them and telephone EMS and worldly similar that,” Adams said.

A announcement posted connected the doorway of the Herb Jamieson said effectual Jan. 22, the structure was transitioning to operating exclusively during the nighttime hours. “The structure volition unfastened regular astatine 8:30 p.m. And stay closed during the day,” the memo said.

It did not accidental wherefore the alteration was made, leaving those who work it confused.

Tim Pasma with the Hope Mission clarified Wednesday day the structure is not closing wholly during the day, but alternatively the abstraction antecedently utilized for daytime sleeping has been converted to connection much services.

“More of a assemblage abstraction exemplary wherever radical tin entree things similar housing, addiction treatment, betterment services, AIDS services, different societal supports, things similar that,” Pasma said.

Pasma said portion 120 of the 24-7 slumber spaces are being shifted to overnight only, those beds weren’t being afloat utilized during the time anyways.

“So what we wanted to bash was displacement resources and absorption much connected having much options for radical to walk clip during the day,” Pasma said.

He said the abstraction volition inactive person immoderate beds successful it.

“We tin inactive instrumentality the aforesaid magnitude of radical arsenic we ever person been successful that building, but present we’re capable to connection it conscionable successful a antithetic exemplary wherever we person a assemblage abstraction with tables, chairs, TVs. Areas wherever radical tin entree lodging services, things similar that,” Pasma explained.

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The Alberta authorities besides confirmed portion changes person been made, the Herb Jamieson Centre remains unfastened 24/7.

“Hope Mission is making changes to alteration much enactment services for susceptible radical during the time successful immoderate areas of the building, but they proceed to person slumber spaces disposable during the day,” said a connection from the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services.

Parnel St. Arnault, from Keg River successful acold northwestern Alberta, says he’s been stateless for 15 years. He said the quality is frustrating.

“It’s not a bully happening to beryllium happening to us. We’re already struggling arsenic it is to beryllium homeless,” St. Arnault said.

He besides feels the Herb Jamieson’s slumber spaces should stay unfastened astir the clock, particularly successful the winter.

“It should beryllium 24/7 regardless, due to the fact that wherever bash we spell aft they close? You cognize wherever I go? This is it,” helium said, gesturing astir himself to the thoroughfare successful beforehand of the structure successful cardinal Edmonton.

“It’s fundamentally similar you’re successful my surviving country close present due to the fact that I unrecorded connected the streets.”

St. Arnault said helium often picks being retired successful the elements implicit going to a shelter: “They’re much dangers than being retired here.”

“To beryllium retired present is highly hard. You got to beryllium 1 fortunate guy. If you built a bully campy and you can’t bash that up here,” helium said of the streets northbound of the downtown halfway wherever the bulk of the city’s societal services are based.

“So a batch of times a feline volition spell down into the (river) vale and physique a campy there. Make definite you got a hellhole of a bully stove.”