Pallet shelters arrive at Pine Tree Park

35 temporary shelters for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) have arrived and are being assembled this week at Pine Tree Park in Sydney to provide safe, supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of homelessness.

“This is a beautiful moment,” said Erika Shea, president and CEO of New Dawn Enterprises.

New Dawn, in partnership with the Ally Centre of Cape Breton, will operate the CBRM Pallet Village, with funding from the Province of Nova Scotia.

“Everyone in the CBRM deserves to be housed and this is a step in that direction. This project will offer shelter, stability, wrap-around services, and help in securing permanent housing, but just as important, it will offer respect, dignity, and love to everyone who walks through the door in their time of need,” Shea said.

THE PALLET SHELTERS

The 70-square-foot Pallet S2 Sleeper model units can be installed in under an hour. A team from Pallet, the company that produces the shelters, was on-site earlier in the week to train the local build team, who will complete the assembly of the units.

“The clients are truly excited to get in a place where they can close their doors and have a bit of privacy, some space to think and some peace and quiet rather than being immersed in a very busy drop-in centre daily,” said Christine Porter, the Executive Director of the Ally Centre, which has been providing interim overnight shelter for 25 people each night since January.

“It has been difficult to provide overnight shelter while maintaining our mandated services throughout the day. At Pine Tree Park, in collaboration with our partners, we can focus specifically on clients’ individual needs, and they will be able to work on themselves without the constant concern of shelter, food and warmth.”

Each unit meets the interim needs of an individual and includes heat/AC, a single bed and table, storage, and a locking door.

THE VILLAGE

Ally Centre staff has been conducting the assessment and intake process over the past several months to identify those with the greatest need who will benefit from the Village. The current list of eligible individuals exceeds the number of available units and staff expects the Village to be full upon opening.

Residents will work with trained staff to make a plan to transition to long-term suitable housing. The length of stay will be on a case-by-case basis with staff reviewing and reassessing each residents’ plan and progress at the 90-day mark, if necessary.

Support services in the Village will include daily hot meals, healthcare, mental health and addictions supports, employment services, and case management by trained staff. The Village will have staff on-site 24/7 and security will transition to 24/7 when the shelters arrive.

“Our ultimate goal is that by providing pathways towards stability, the Village residents will be able to access crucial resources and services that they need on their journey to secure, safe, appropriate, and affordable housing. By providing a safe and supportive environment for those in need, the Village hopes to play a crucial role in creating a healthier, more resilient, and vibrant community,” said Yvonne Jessome, manager of the CBRM Pallet Village.

Power to the individual units will be connected in the coming weeks. The Village is estimated to open in mid-September.

For more information, visit newdawn.ca/pallet.