The City of Peterborough will be using Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre at Fleming College for emergency shelter space during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This will provide more space in the existing emergency shelter network for people who need to practice social distancing, according to a media release from the city.
As part of the city’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre at 775 Brealey Drive was closed to the public on Saturday, March 14th, with all scheduled programs and events cancelled or postponed.
Brock Mission and the overflow shelter bed program will be temporarily relocated to identified areas in the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre.
The space may also be used as secondary shelter space for Cameron House and YES Shelter for Youth and Families to allow for social distancing within those shelters.
“We are urging people in our community to stay home as much as possible to practice social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19,” says Mayor Diane Therrien. “For people who don’t have a home, that’s not possible. We’re providing more shelter space to spread out the existing beds in our shelter network to help protect the health of some of the most vulnerable people in our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to the city’s media release, the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre with its numerous rooms and washroom amenities provides much needed flexibility for the shelter network.
The city is working with Peterborough Public Health, the existing shelter operators (Brock Mission and YES Shelter for Youth and Families), and Fourcast (which delivers homelessness services) to continue to provide services for people who are homeless.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith was also involved, offering provincial facilities to support the community.
“Our community is working together,” Mayor Therrien says. “It’s taking action for the health and safety of people during this difficult time.”
As the COVID-19 situaiton develops, the city may make additional decisions affecting municipal services and facilities. For an up-to-date list of affected municipal services and facilities, visit www.peterborough.ca/covid19.
