Warming shelters in Airdrie provided some comfort for vulnerable and unsheltered residents during the recent cold snap.
But the hard reality is that soon they will no longer be available in a City that does not have any overnight shelters.
The Airdrie Public Library and Genesis Place were utilized as daytime warming spaces during their regular operating hours, but are scheduled to close their doors at the end of the working day on Friday, Jan. 19.
The same goes for Airdrie Transit that worked to ensure all residents along their routes remain safe and be provided transportation options to access various programs and services or other warm, safe environments.
While there are ongoing support programs available for those in need, you would think a City with a population over 80,000 would have at least one overnight shelter.
At the same time, as I’ve spoken to organizations in Airdrie who work with unsheltered or at-risk individuals. Airdrie doesn’t have a visible homeless population like you might see in Edmonton or Calgary.
Even if Airdrie had a shelter, the question is, would it be utilized?
In a recent interview I did about drug poisonings in Airdrie, I was told that due to Airdrie being quite tight-knit, it’s hard for individuals to reach out for help. A similar sentiment might be felt when individuals are searching for overnight shelter.
On top of that, many stories coming out of Calgary and Edmonton over the last couple of weeks show a bleak reality of what shelters are really like.
As people were being evicted from their encampments in Edmonton, interviews revealed that many would rather sleep outside in makeshift tents than inside a homeless shelter due to the risk of violence, drugs, or theft.
Edmonton didn’t report a lack of shelter spaces. Many unsheltered individuals seem to feel safer outdoors surrounded by people they’ve chosen to spend their time with and trust.
The way shelters are currently set up, they seem to leave their clients feeling unsafe.
So wouldn’t this be an opportunity for Airdrie, where no overnight shelters currently exist, to create a space where individuals can have a warm bed and not feel unsafe?
In another interview about Airdrie’s growth, the City spoke about how new businesses and services are meeting the demands of the growing population. As we grow, isn’t an overnight shelter another demand that needs to be met?
