Heron Road Community Centre turning into temporary emergency shelter for Ottawa’s homeless population
Posted Nov 2, 2023 05:07:51 AM.
Last Updated Nov 2, 2023 05:07:57 AM.
The City of Ottawa announced its plan to turn the Heron Road Community Centre into a emergency shelter by the end of this month to help deal with the capital’s ongoing homelessness crisis.
Clara Freire, the City’s general manager of community and social services, confirmed in a memo to Ottawa City Council that all shelters, COVID-19 pandemic-era distancing centres and overflow options are full.
According to the memo, the Heron Road Community Centre is expected to provide shelter for an additional 200 people.
The memo said the centre would turn into a shelter at the end of November, and no specific date was given.
There was no timeline for when the centre would resume recreation programming.
Heron Road Community Centre becomes the third recreation facility to shelter homeless people in Ottawa.
“At the same time, the current Physical Distancing – Emergency Overflow Centres will continue to operate out of the Dempsey Community Centre and the Bernard Grandmaître Arena, for the foreseeable future,” the memo said. “Staff are also exploring the possibility of further enhancing capacity at these locations.”
