End Homelessness Regina is looking at a recent project in Calgary as inspiration for what could happen in the Queen City.
Recently, a closed down hotel in Calgary was converted into a homeless shelter. Centre 4800 is a 79-suite facility for Calgary’s homeless population to give them a place to stay.
The total cost of the project was in the $14-million range.
Blair Roberts from the YMCA and End Homelessness Regina said a project like this works into the Plan to End Homelessness released last month.
“Regina doesn’t really have anything like this for people that are homeless with a high level of need right now,” said Roberts.
“It’s something that we’ve needed here for a long time and it’s nice to see it happening in other cities with a lot of success and support from various levels of government and community groups.”
Part of the Plan to End Homelessness in Regina, which was released in June, includes $25 million in infrastructure projects.
Roberts said if something like this were to happen here, it wouldn’t even need to be hotel-sized.
“It could be an older apartment building, a condo, various spaces like that that are a bit more run down,” he explained. “It certainly can be done with any apartment building, really.”
An investment in time and money would be key to help get a project like this underway in Regina.
Roberts hopes people can come forward in the future if they were willing to sell off spaces or invest time to make sure it is accommodating for people.
Regardless of how it happens, he and many others are hoping it’s the key to help shelter those living on the streets in the Queen City.
