Sudbury overnight winter shelter offers 'safe, warm, trusting environment'

Greater Sudbury's emergency overnight winter shelter at 200 Larch St. will open Monday night.

The shelter, which is forthose who don'thave permanent housing,providesa warm place tosleep overnight for about 30 people during the winter months.

This is the first year the Canadian Mental Health Association Sudbury Manitoulin will run the facility.

People who need overnight shelter are allowed to do so evenwhile under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

But those items will not be allowed in to the shelter.Weapons are also not allowed on the premises.

Taking names

Users will be asked tosign in and provide their name.

"Just so that we can keep track of people," says Marion Quigley, CEO of CMHA Sudbury Manitoulin.

"But if somebody really doesn't want to give their name [or] gives a false name and we know that it'sa false name, we'll still let them in."

She says takingdown names will help shelter staff establish relationships and help clients find long-term help.

Gail Spencer, thecity's co-ordinator of Shelters and Homelessness, says the goal for the shelter is to eventually help people find permanent housing.

"We want to make sure that we're creating a nice safe, warm, trusting environment so that people feel comfortable coming here," she says.

"And then, once we get to know them,we try to connect them to the supports that will help them to get to housing."

Time to socialize, then lights out

Shelter manager Cindy Rosesays four of the six shelter staff members worked at the shelter last year when it was operated by the Salvation Army.

"They did say that some people tended to be a little bit more timid when they first came in, but with the continued participation in trying to engage in those relationships it tended to make for a better and safer environment for everyone," says Rose.

A hot meal andrefreshments will be provided for the first couple of hours the shelter opens each night, offering people time to socialize.

At 10 p.m., people are required to go to their cots. Anyone who has permanent housing elsewhere will be encouraged to leave at that time, Rose says. And that will free upthe cots for those who don't have a place to sleep.

Last year the shelter was formerly known as Out of the Cold, but has been renamed to Off The Street.

The Off The Street shelter will be open from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.nightly until April 15, 2017.