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New shelter for women and children opened at 625 Powell

November 30th, 2009 · 2 Comments

Just back from the announcement about the new emergency shelter opening in the Downtown Eastside, an unusual one in that the building and cost of renos were donated by mainly by businesses, with the provincial government providing the money to run the shelter. AND all the permits and work got done in a miraculous seven weeks.

It’s got room for 300 carts in the unused basement, a wholesale-food facility at one time, as Housing Minister Rich Coleman was told when he specifically asked about that during the tour of the building.

A pretty nice space with a big open reception area at the front and then individual bedrooms along a hallway behind, with two beds per room.

The St. James Community Society is going to be running it for, they say, up to two years.

Lots of compliments all around, especially between, as we’re becoming accustomed, the housing minister and the mayor.

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