Developer sets up heated (ice fishing) tents in Gatineau parking lot to shelter homeless

[applegrove]

Last edited Fri Jan 12, 2024, 03:40 AM - Edit history (1)

Developer sets up heated tents in Gatineau parking lot to shelter homeless

Tents will shelter people staying in an encampment where 2 people have died this fall

Arthur White-Crummey - CBC News

Posted: December 18, 2023
Last Updated: December 19, 2023

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7062925

"SNIP........

The tent city near Gatineau's Gîte ami homeless shelter is a constant source of fear for François Lescalier.

He's deputy director at the shelter, and says staff frequently see fires break out at the site where campers heat themselves with gasoline — or even alcohol-based gels like Purell.

Lescalier called it a "slum," where drugs are easy to come by. Two people have died there this fall. He's afraid there will be more once the temperature drops.

Region's 3rd death in homeless encampment marks worrying trend, say advocates.

So he welcomes an initiative to move those staying in the makeshift encampment into tidy rows of 28 heated, fire-resistant tents on a parking lot near the site, right in front of the Robert-Guertin Centre arena.

..........SNIP"

* Halifax used the ice fishing tents first. Brilliant. Not a long term solution.

[multigraincracker]

1. I have a nice pop up one

I’d love to donate.
Not much ice anymore, here in Michigan.

[applegrove]

2. Is there homeless encampment nearby? It was really harrowing

Last edited Fri Jan 12, 2024, 04:41 AM - Edit history (1)

to read a couple under a bridge nearby my apt. both got burned by a fire last week. Scary times. As one local politician put it something like: now is the time to convert empty government office building into apartments. You don't need a marble slab just a bathroom and a simple kitchen.

[multigraincracker]

3. Not that I know of.

I’ll have to research it. I know a few charities that would take it and sell it. Never been used and cost about $200. I’d rather give it to some one in need.

[applegrove]

4. That nice. Feels good to be connected to our communities

by giving. I hope that people around North America hear about the ice fishing tents and copy. At least where there are tent cities and where it's cold. The tents are fire safe as fishermen have heating in them. I like that the Gatineau authorities strug electricity to each tent so people could have space heaters.