As cold weather approaches, warming centres open in Kitchener and Cambridge on Saturday
CBC
Warming centres in Waterloo region have opened just in time with temperatures set to drop below freezing Saturday night.
The Environment Canada forecast warns flurries are possible Saturday, and then Saturday night into Sunday it's expected to be cloudy with a low of —5 C.
Jessica Hill is the lead for the Thresholds Homes and Supports warming centre at 289 Lawrence Ave. in Kitchener.
She says there are people who need a warm space but who may be uncomfortable or unable to access shelters.
“There's so much that might prevent an individual from being comfortable in accessing a space. We hear a lot of things from service users about feeling unsafe in shelter systems. And contrary to that, we hear things from individuals also that shelter systems are great and they've never felt unsafe in them,” Hill said on Friday during an open house.
“But there are a distinct number of individuals out there who have no options outside of something like a warming centre.”
Hill said anyone who needs a warm spot can use the centre and they try to be as “low barrier as possible” to make sure people can use the service.
Eric Philip, the CEO of Thresholds Homes and Supports, acknowledged they’ve already had people lining up outside to see if the warming centre was opened yet, so even though the temperatures aren’t yet frigid, they know the need is there.
“It's not just about getting out of the cold. It's about an atmosphere that embraces just, like, welcome to a place where you can be supported to relax and feel happy for a moment before you have to go back to what is a really precarious living situation,” he said.
The warming centre opens at 7 p.m. Saturday and will operate nightly through the winter. The hours are from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
On Wednesdays, the warming centre will also offer hot soup and will work with local restaurants and caterers and The Food Bank of Waterloo Region to provide that meal.
In Cambridge, Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services will also open their overnight warming centre on Saturday. It’s located inside at Wesley United Church, at 6 Cambridge St. and is open from 8:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“If you're outside at night in Cambridge, and need a place to warm up, Porchlight's Warming Centre is available for you,” Porchlight wrote on its Facebook page.
The Region of Waterloo also offers public spaces for people to get temporary relief from the cold in many municipal buildings.
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