A new community hub in Peterborough destined to bring people experiencing homelessness in from the winter cold should be open “within the next two weeks.”
That’s the word from One City Peterborough housing director Michael VanDerHerberg who, on Wednesday (November 1), facilitated tours of Trinity Centre at the former Trinity United Church on Reid Street.
Since plans for the church’s auditorium space were revealed on September 14, things have moved along quickly as it’s transformed to house not only a daytime drop-in program but, more vitally, provide winter overnight accommodation for 45 people.
During two open house sessions on Wednesday, visitors were given the opportunity to tour the space as well as ask questions of One City staff, VanDerHerberg and One City co-executive director Christian Harvey among them.
Evidence of the work done to date and done relatively quickly could be seen in the installation of washrooms and showers, the latter in the auditorium’s stage space, as well as an HVAC system. In addition, five foldable beds — part of a complement of several beds donated to One City by Peterborough Regional Health Centre — were also on display.
Once fully open, Trinity Centre daytime drop-in program will operate every day from 1 to 5 p.m., while overnight accommodation will be provided nightly from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. until March 31.
“We’re changing it from assembly occupancy to residential occupancy,” noted VanDerHerberg about the former church’s auditorium. “That’s a huge part of the work but we’re almost there. Our last inspection date is November 8th. We’re very happy with where things are at right now.”
Also taking up occupancy at Trinity Centre will be One City Peterborough itself, which is moving most all of its operations there from its current Water Street location.
Along with the daytime drop-in and overnight accommodation, other resources to be offered include a small storage option for personal belongings, on-site laundry facilities for the cleaning of bedding, harm reduction and safer use supplies, and an outdoor gathering space with privacy fencing. Hygiene items, wound care kits, and food and drink will also be provided as they’re available.
“There remain people who are living rough outside, who are struggling,” said VanDenHerberg. “Having a proper night’s sleep, something to eat, and a place to shower are integral to building dignity for, and in, a community that’s struggling.”
“Will it be perfect? I’d be the last person to say that it will be. (But) when our doors close after the overnight program is done, we’ll be in better shape to send people back out than we were last winter.”
The church property, including the new centre space, is owned by the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network (PPRN) that bought the property last year after the church congregation, experiencing low attendance numbers and facing severe repair costs for the building, voted to disband. While the property wasn’t publicly listed for sale, PPRN learned of its availability and entered negotiations to purchase it.
Since then, the City of Peterborough has committed to providing One City Peterborough with $900,000 annually over three years for its operation. On top of that, just this past October, the United Way Peterborough & District provided $200,000 in federal dollars it’s entrusted to distribute toward the renovation costs. One City Peterborough also received $50,000 from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough for the renovations.
“This is an example of how to repurpose space,” marvelled United Way CEO Jim Russell, who dropped by for a firsthand look at the progress made. “It’s much better that it is being used for this than for million-dollar condominiums — much better. I think congregations should be reflecting on what to do with their assets and how to transfer them to communities to do this kind of work.”
“We’re really happy we could invest in getting the space set up as well as fund One City operating the program out of here. You can see where the money went…the HVAC system, the showers and the washrooms. We’re weeks and weeks and weeks ahead of when people were welcomed last winter and, certainly, the year before that.”
While stopping short of terming the centre’s development a definitive answer to the scourge of homelessness, VanDerHerberg said it’s a huge step in the right direction.
“There are many people who are motivated and invested in seeing something different done in our community than what we’ve seen over the last three to five years,” he assessed.
“It’s not right that people are tenting outside, and it’s not safe. I’m not fully convinced that just because we open this that will be the end of tenting, (but) we’re happy to open this space for the people that will use it.”
Both VanDerHerberg and Harvey acknowledged that, beyond completing the renovations, soothing any concerns of those living in the centre’s neighbourhood remains a priority.
“Everyone (in the immediate vicinity) received a letter in their mailbox (about the open house) and we’ve been responding to neighbours already,” noted Harvey, adding “A main focus is to be as good a neighbour as we can be.”
“I understand that some aren’t excited for us to move into the area. That makes sense, but our hope is that they at least know we’re open to hearing their concerns and work as best as we can to address them.”
This story has been updated to include $50,000 in funding for renovations received from from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough.
