Red Deer's Cannery Row temporary shelter has been doing well in providing for the increased demand from the cold weather, according to Safe Harbour Executive Director Kath Hoffman. (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Alessia Proietti

Baby, it's cold...out...side....

Cold front; no problem for Safe Harbour temporary shelter

Dec 30, 2021 | 8:00 AM

The weather outside is frightful…. but there is shelter for those in need at Safe Harbour.

Christmas Day brought Alberta with record-breaking cold warnings from Environment Canada reaching between –40 C and -50 C with wind chills.

Expanding across Western Canada, temperatures are not expected to ease any time soon, with ski lodges and outdoor activities closing over the weekend.

Tuesday night, 76 people spent the night at the temporary shelter while approximately 120 checked in during the day, said Safe Harbour Executive Director and Captain Kath Hoffman.

The Cannery Row location (5239 53 Ave) in downtown Red Deer opened in 2020 for the pandemic, and is being considered for a two-year extension until a permanent shelter can be built.

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In the past, the demand for overnight services sat at around 80 beds and in some circumstances, space limitations caused some to be turned away. This year has brought more people to the shelter’s doors, but the location has made more support available, says Hoffman.

“As far as fire capacity, we could fit in 200 people in there easy. It’s huge so we don’t have to worry about turning anybody away,” she said.

Although the cold temperature is causing an increase in the shelter’s numbers this year, Hoffman points out that this may not always be the case.

“The numbers are up for sure but sometimes in the winter they do go down, especially when it gets really cold because people will have less tendency to kick people out of their houses. So if they manage to get in somewhere, sometimes they get to stay,” she said.

With the help of community donations this holiday season, the shelter accumulated 200 bags of clothes like jackets, socks, underwear, knit sweaters and more providing extra necessities for warmth.

“We’re always grateful. The community always pulls through at Christmas time and this cold weather certainly. Everybody starts to empathize like ‘what if I didn’t have a place to run into from my car right now?’” she said.

Another example of Red Deerian’s generosity was shown on Christmas Eve when Safe Harbour received a surprise visit from an unnamed local who provided pizza for the whole shelter.

Hoffman expects the numbers to remain steady this winter and without trouble in providing a roof for anyone in need.

As the shelter is doing well thus far, Hoffman wanted to give a shout-out to current council and Mayor Ken Johnston for providing them with the added space.

“We were nail biting all last year, wondering if we were going to be able to stay and we’re very grateful,” she said. “It’s weird to be grateful for a state of emergency such as COVID but it was that, that let us stay.”

A public hearing is scheduled for the potential two-year extension of the shelter on Jan. 17, 2022.