What was once a home for nuns has transformed into a shelter and affordable housing

The Sisters of Mercy Convent in downtown St. John's used to house nuns. Now, the 19th century building can sleep and house nearly 100 people struggling to find a safe place to rest or call home.

The historic building's transformation was a multi-million dollar project from the Gathering Place, a community health centre and hub in downtown St. John's that has struggled to keep up with demand in its 30-bed emergency shelter.

The new expansion, located beside the historic Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Military Road, has off-white walls and shining floors, but there are hints of the past throughout — stone wall fixtures, large wooden doors and an original section of tiled flooring with the word "Mercy" engraved in it. Those pieces maintain the building's original 1800s craftsmanship. 

The Gathering Place is calling the four-floored building Mercy House. There's a new emergency shelter on the first floor, which was previously offered in the Gathering Place's main auditorium. The remaining floors are for transitional and supportive housing units, the latter of which will become people's permanent residences.

As homelessness rates rise in the capital city, the Gathering Place's housing manager, Sherry Whittle, says the convent's new affordable housing units will offer stability to people who have been stuck in limbo in the shelter system or on the streets.

"You get an extra kick in your spirit, actually," said Whittle. "My whole spirit is just elated to know that this is what we have the opportunity to provide now."

The new emergency shelter has 40 beds, up from 30 at the former shelter. The new shelter also has four separate sleeping areas and all of the beds now have a privacy barrier, whereas the former shelter only had two separate spaces and there weren't any walls between the beds for privacy.

Kim Grant, the Gathering Place's associate executive director, says the expansion of shelter services comes with a sigh of relief. When she first began working with the Gathering Place in 2020, there were over 200 guests within their system. That number has grown to over 2,000.

"When we first opened our doors with the temporary shelter, we were rarely at capacity," she said. "Probably for the last year, we have been at full capacity every night…. And unfortunately, we're at a point as well where we're having to turn people away at the door."

While shelter guests previously congregated on Military Road as they waited for a bed, Grant says they now have to go through an intake office at the side of the building, where they'll meet with staff and be assigned a locker and a bed. 

The new shelter opened on Oct. 30, and its hours are 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every day.

Transitional housing is located on the building's second floor. It's for people in the shelter who are trying to transition into a more permanent living situation.

"The idea of our transitional floor is for people who've been staying in the shelter for longer periods of time and are wanting to move out of [the] shelter, but not quite ready to move into independent living in the community," said Grant.

It has 20 beds, including eight individual rooms and two rooms with congregate living arrangements. All rooms are equipped with nightstands and mini-fridges.