That's a wrap for warming centre

There will be little downtime for those who helped launch and successfully maintain North Bay's only official warming centre this past winter.

Gathering Place Executive Director Dennis Chippa says, "We were glad, as always to step up when the community needed it. It was a challenge for sure at times, between agencies unable to support us with staffing, and our own COVID staffing-related problems, but we managed to handle everything."

See related: Chippa: Familiar faces will help emergency warming centre run smoothly

Several community partners, including staff and volunteers from the Gathering Place, worked together to cover shifts so people had a place to go to get out of the cold during the day. The impromptu warming centre gradually opened its doors in early February at the former Health Unit building on Commercial Street.

Chippa confirms Wednesday is the final day for regular day-to-day warming centre operations but his crew won't leave anyone out in the cold. "Should the weather turn bad anytime in the next week or so we will pop it open informally."

DNSSAB Chair, Coun. Mark King remarked during the board's most recent meeting the warming centre had experienced some criminal activity on the premises but Chippa says this was not the sole reason for closing down.

"We have had several break-ins in the past week during the evening hours which raised security concerns for us obviously," says Chippa. With staff and volunteers "working on re-opening [the Gathering Place], and some planned expansion in our outreach operation, it just seemed like a good time to wrap up the winter."

See also: The Gathering Place serves up a record number of breakfasts in one hour

And: Homeless couch surfing through the cold

In late January, the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board shared its potential warming centre partner agencies were experiencing staffing challenges. The Gathering Place had already offered to provide meals and cover mornings but as the project went through various delays so it took the lead. DNSSAB funding was made available to run the warming centre.

See: No warming centre due to 'staffing challenges' — DNSSAB

Coun. Scott Robertson, also a social services board member remarked in late February, "I hope it's evident to staff and this board this kind of daytime programming is absolutely necessary, particularly in the winter. I really hope this is something we're able to spend the spring, the summer, and fall working on so we have some kind of permanent programming for next year."

Chippa agrees, saying the Gathering Place has found it challenging to be spread thin for an extended period. "It’s very difficult with staff time, volunteer time, organizational time, and we are focused on food." He says this year's operators have been "putting together kind of a how-to manual for running the warming centre and will present it to DNSSAB staff so whoever takes over the operation next year has some starting points which should make them a bit more ahead of the game than we were."

"The extenuating circumstances were really related to COVID-19 and the availability of staff," DNSSAB CAO Catherine Matheson said in a previous board meeting about the challenges the warming centre faced. "As much as there was goodwill in the community to work together, those circumstances prevented what the community wanted to happen, which was to have the [Chippewa Street] shelter open during the day for extreme cold weather from the beginning to the end of the season."

Chippa, already transitioning to his duties at the Gathering Place says, "The decision on running it will have to come in consultation with the board. As far as us operating it, I’m honestly not sure."