A delegation has successfully lobbied the Town of Rocky Mountain House to commit $20,000 for 2025 to a fledgling winter warming shelter initiative, as well as lowering the cold-weather funding threshold from -25°C down to -20°C.
David Mark Carter, representing the proposed physical location at The Lord’s Food Bank, pastor Ken Douma of the First Christian Reformed Church in Rocky, and Kandis Stradecki, interim chairperson of the Clearwater Regional Housing Foundation (CRHF) appeared before council on Dec. 17.
The town had tentatively committed $5000 from this year’s budget and $20,000 from the 2025 budget. The commitment would be $250 per day— a sum the delegation says is not enough.
Stradecki compares other social shelter programs, and estimates between $300-$350 per day would be required to keep the doors open.
She adds that not having social shelters can have a negative a trickle down effect for communities, pointing to healthcare costs associated with treating frost bite, among numerous other examples.
The delegation also expressed concerns with the originally proposed -25°C trigger threshold for opening the shelter.
“Do the people who need this shelter know what temperature it is?” asked Carter. “They’re out in the cold thinking ‘I need to get somewhere to warm up’. They show up, the doors are locked and the lights are out.”
Regardless of the initial dollar commitment from the town and opening temperature thresholds, Stradecki hopes to have a shelter that’s open every day during the winter.
“No matter what, we’re going find ways to have it open every day,” she says.
Stradecki points to expected additional funding from the provincial government, as well as constructive conversations with Clearwater County, which she says are willing to be a partner in the project’s success.
The delegation will appear before Clearwater County council in the New Year.
A proposed winter warming shelter will be located at the Lord’s Food Bank in Rocky Mountain House. (David Mark Carter/The Lord’s Food Bank)
Councillor Dave Auld expressed concern if a warming center were to be a permanent fixture in town, it could exacerbate the already increasing homeless problem in town. Stradecki says that hasn’t been an issue in other communities, pointing to experiences from operators of a similar shelter in Drayton Valley.
While supporting the initial idea, Auld cautioned the space should be seen as a “life saving measure”, and not a full fledged homeless shelter.
Acting Mayor Len Phillips suggested assessing how the program goes this year, and reassess numbers next year.
Phillips adds, warming shelters represent something of a grey area for town-sized municipalities to get involved in, saying normally that falls into the purview of the provincial and federal government.
Nonetheless, Douma credits the town with spearheading the initiative, noting the many organizations that are currently collaborating to make it a reality which wouldn’t have come together if the town hadn’t brought the idea forward.
Town council unanimously passed a motion to authorize raising the daily amount from $250 to to $300 per day up to a maximum of $20,000 for 2025, and lower the temperature threshold for funding down to -20°C. As well, it authorized a grant of $3000 for insurance costs.
Originally slated for a Dec. 16 opening, Stradecki says the group plans to open the shelter as soon as the first funding dollars are in place.
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