Belleville’s warming centre adapts to new ways as COVID-19 cases rise
Amongst the changes for this year’s warming centre includes the change of location to the former Belleville police station(93 Dundas St. East). File photo.
BELLEVILLE – The City of Belleville is changing the way its overnight warming centre is working this year due to Covid-19. Among the changes for this year’s warming centre includes the change of location to the former Belleville police station at 93 Dundas St. East.
The deputy fire chief of Belleville, Paul Patry, said the move to a new location was a result of the old location – the Belleville public library – being unavailable.
“The property owner of our previous location decided to go a different direction this year. We were lucky to have access to the great asset that is the former police station to our disposal,” he said.
With temperatures dipping into the negative double digits overnight, the city-sponsored warming centre targets vulnerable people in need of a place to find some warmth throughout the night.
Patry said due to covid and the restrictions set by public health, the city has had to limit the amount of people accessing the centre to 28.
“Luckily enough, we have not yet reached capacity at the warming centre, but it will be a challenge when we do,” he said.
Belleville city mayor Mitch Panciuk said in case the capacity becomes an issue, the back up plan to accommodate people will be the emergency housing services provided by Hastings County.
“For the nights that we have had the warming centre so far we have had less than 10 people at a time accessing the building, so it is not a major concern right now, but if it does become one we have a back up plan.”
Patry also said visitors will be screened using the latest COVID-19 screening tool and must register upon entry. Face masks are required and visitors will be asked to practise physical distancing at all times.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk said along with limitations on the number of people allowed to be in the warming centre, accessibility is restricted to only clients and authorized staff of the city providing services within the space.
Panciuk also said a recommendation was passed to lower the temperature in the warming centre to cater for the needs of the vulnerable people.
“The temperature was -15 degrees celsius and -20 with the windchill, but during the meeting we reduced it to -10 degrees celsius and -15 degrees with the wind chill,” he said.
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