Years of effort have come to fruition with the opening of a new 24-hour homeless shelter operated by the Lighthouse in North Battleford.
The shelter opened its doors to clients late last month, and its official grand opening took place Monday morning.
The opening brings an end to years of effort towards establishing a homeless shelter in the Battlefords.
The new Lighthouse shelter is located at 962-102nd St., the former home of the Reclaim Outreach Centre.
For former Reclaim Outreach pastor Leonard Beaucage, who worked alongside pastor Don Toovey to set up a homeless shelter at that location, it was an emotional day as they saw the “fruit of our labours over the past seven years” come to fruition.
He called establishment of the shelter by the Lighthouse an “answer to prayer, and not just for myself but many others in the community.”
In 2011, Reclaim Outreach Centre applied to city council for a discretionary use permit for a homeless shelter at their location.
They got council approval, but soon faced a number of other hurdles, both in obtaining financing as well as in bringing the building up to code for use as a shelter.
The Saskatoon-based Lighthouse later entered the picture. In 2014, North Battleford city officials did a tour of the Lighthouse facilities in Saskatoon, where it operates an emergency shelter with supported living and independent affordable housing suites.
“Through those conversations we began to see there was potentially a need that the Lighthouse could fill here in North Battleford,” said DeeAnn Mercier, director of communications for the Lighthouse.
The Lighthouse bought the Reclaim Outreach Centre location with the intent of setting up a permanent shelter at that location.
They were able to secure funding from the federal government from their Rural and Remote Homelessness Partnering Strategy. That went towards renovations to put in a fire sprinkler system, a kitchen and washroom and shower facilities.
But Mercier noted the project could not have proceeded without funds from the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Community Development Corporation.
“We were ready to come here, we were ready to go, and at the 11th hour it looked like we would not be able to,” said Mercier.
She said they went to the BATC CDC board, and the organization came through with the remaining funding to make the shelter a reality. That funding was in the amount of $275,000.
Chief Delbert Wapass, representing BATC, made clear the positive impact the shelter would have in saving lives.
He noted a number of BATC clients were already being served at the Lighthouse in Saskatoon and said if it wasn’t for the Lighthouse, they would be running up a bill at the funeral home.
“We do have a lot of homeless people who freeze to death, and then we cry after the fact, ‘what can we do?’” said Wapass.
He praised the decision of the BATC CDC board to provide funding. “It was easy for us to put our money where our mouth was,” said Wapass.
Since opening two weeks ago, Mercier said, the shelter has been averaging nine to 10 people spending the night, but also about 26 people for supper.
In addition to providing 36 beds, meals, and laundry services, the Lighthouse in the Battlefords also puts on movie nights and game nights for their clients. There is also a stabilization unit which provides support for those under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
They also seek to connect their clients to permanent housing opportunities, providing housing applications and assistance in helping to fill forms out.
Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Gerry Ritz was at the grand opening ceremony and welcomed the arrival of the new shelter.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity to strengthen the social fabric of this vibrant community,” said Ritz. “It’s a great pleasure for me to sign off on the first grant.”
He also referred to Mercier’s mention that there would be a Phase II coming for the building. “Certainly we look forward to that application as well,” said Ritz.
“We’re happy to see the Lighthouse come to our community,” said Battlefords MLA Herb Cox. “On behalf of a very appreciative Saskatchewan government, thank you for all that you do.”
“We do envision this to be a … significant factor in the well-being of the citizens of North Battleford,” said Mayor Ian Hamilton.
Hamilton noted the new shelter would be a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year facility and “that’s what we were missing.”
He also expressed his appreciation to the Battlefords Indian and Métis Friendship Centre for providing their temporary shelter services for the homeless over the last few years.
Don Windels, executive director of Lighthouse Supported Living, expressed his appreciation to the community for their welcoming of the Lighthouse.
“For the community to get behind us and for BATC to step up at the 11th hour to put their money where their mouth was, we really appreciate that,” said Windels.
