AUDIO: CBC Radio reporter Brittany Wentzell visits The Village at Pine Tree Park, where staff and residents share the life-changing impact of the project
Late January is often the coldest time of the year in Cape Breton and 2025 has been no exception. Despite the frigid temperatures, the residents at The Village at Pine Tree Park are cozy and warm.
The Village opened in October and is, for many of the 35 residents, the first safe, stable housing they’ve had in a long time.
Dallas Johnson was living rough for 8 years before moving into The Village in the fall. He says his life has been hard but things are turning around for him now.
“I never expected to have a place like this – for once I finally have somewhere warm to stay without having to sleep outside in a tent, so I’m really grateful for this place.”
Rheanne Tufts was been living at The Village since it opened, but soon she and her cat, Hannah Rebel, will move to permanent housing — their own apartment in Glace Bay.
“The staff here is really helpful,” she said.
“I’m actually glad I found this place because now I’ll be able to have a permanent home where I can properly raise [my cat].”
Both Rheanne and Dallas say their individual Pallet shelters have been comfortably warm, even in last week’s cold snap.
The shelters are equipped with foam insulation and a 4500-watt heater to ensure they are comfortable in winter weather and they are designed to withstand not only frigid temperatures (tested to -29 degrees Celsius), but also high winds and snow loads.
“There’s no issues with them being anything other than comfortable,” says Village Manager Shannon Dove of the shelters.
She says there is a plan in place for snow removal in the case of heavy snow, and there is a generator in the Community Building that will ensure residents are safe and warm in a power outage.
Listen to the full story on Information Morning Cape Breton here.
Learn more about Pallet shelters and cold conditions here.