Friday April 24, 2020 ~ SOOKE
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Homeless persons will find shelter inside and outside the Capital Regional District’s SEAPARC Leisure Complex building in Sooke during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The need to support Sooke’s vulnerable population through the COVID-19 pandemic was first identified through the Sooke Homeless Coalition in March.
The District of Sooke Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was consulted and tasked to help plan and source resources for the project, in consultation with external agencies.
As a result of the BC Government’s Ministerial Order M084, “For the purpose of ensuring the effective management and delivery of critical services for vulnerable populations within the Province, including food banks and shelter services, each local authority must use best efforts to provide assistance in the management and delivery of such services”, in consultation with the District and social service agencies, BC Housing partnered with the Capital Regional District (CRD) to lead the initiative.
Due to its recent closure during the pandemic, the SEAPARC arena (without ice in the spring and summer) was identified as a viable location to offer Sooke’s vulnerable residents a location to self-isolate and limit the need to move transiently around the community.
When the required setup at SEAPARC is ready, there will be capacity for 45 residents: 30 will be housed in the arena, and 15 will reside outdoors in tents. The setup is expected to be ready in the next few weeks.
Through community outreach efforts in Sooke alone, all spaces are currently spoken for. No space is being made available to populations outside of the Sooke area, referrals will not be accepted and there will be no transporting individuals from outside of Sooke, it was stated in a release from the District of Sooke on April 22.
The temporary shelter is currently scheduled to be in operation until as late as June 30, 2020 unless the province lifts the order that has closed recreation centers throughout the province. If rec centers are again allowed to operate (i.e. have large gatherings of people), then SEAPARC would re-open to the public.
The Sooke Region Communities Health Network is responsible for site operations of this project to support the homeless, with Jen Wilde acting as Director of Operations for the COVID-19 Response Isolation Shelter.
Multiple resource agencies will be on-site to support a diverse set of needs, including the Sooke Shelter Society, AVI Health and Community Services, and Island Health.
“This is intended to be a transitional stabilization unit for those people experiencing homelessness,” said Jen Wilde.
People experiencing homelessness often have higher rates of health concerns, and as a result could be at greater risk if exposed to COVID-19. For that reason, enhanced screening and cleaning protocols are in place at the facilities to reduce the potential that this virus can spread within the building and beyond.
With public washrooms, parks and restaurants closed to the public, facilities are not as readily available. Creating an environment that helps facilitate distancing and provides access to hygiene facilities, including showers and regular hand washing helps keep everyone in Sooke safe, it was stated in the release.
“This is Sooke looking after Sooke, we’ve got some wonderful people here and we’ll get it done,” said District of Sooke Councillor Al Beddows, who also serves on the SEAPARC Commission. There will be no access to the new fitness gym (which was set to have its official opening on March 27), only the arena and adjoining bathrooms.
The District of Sooke says this initiative is a strong example of multiple agencies coming together to achieve a common goal to help serve and protect members of the community. “This project is being well managed and organized by those who have experience with vulnerable populations,” said Sooke Mayor Maja Tait in the news release. “I trust that those who are involved will ensure that any concerns the community has are quickly addressed.”
The SEAPARC facility is not intended as a location to quarantine anyone might contract the COVID-19 virus. Anyone in the temporary shelter who tests positive will be re-located to a designated facility as part of a regional strategy.
The BC Government is making a major announcement about supporting the homeless during COVID-19, on Saturday morning April 25 at 10 am on the BC Government Facebook page.