January 9, 2020
Space in Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre will open as an emergency overnight shelter tonight due to the extreme cold weather.
Change rooms next to the Commonwealth Fieldhouse will provide shelter for up to 36 individuals between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with additional space available in the fieldhouse if needed. The overnight shelter at the rec centre is intended for those who may have challenges accessing traditional shelters.
"Caring for vulnerable people during extreme weather is critical,” said Christel Kjenner, the City’s Director of Housing and Homelessness. “The benefit of Commonwealth Rec Centre is that it is centrally located and will provide individuals access to basics such as showers and washroom facilities.”
Opening emergency shelter space for vulnerable Edmontonians is part of the City of Edmonton’s extreme weather protocol. The City activated the protocol today after consulting with Homeward Trust and reviewing factors such as temperature and capacity at existing shelters.
Individuals staying overnight will have access to the change rooms and fieldhouse only, not the rest of the facility.
The Boyle Street Winter Warming bus has extended its hours to take individuals to shelters between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Edmonton Transit System will run a dedicated bus between shelters and select transit centres between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. to ensure that transportation is not a barrier to those in need of overnight accommodation.
Commonwealth Recreation Centre will not be accepting donations. Citizens can help by calling 911 for someone in serious distress or 211 for non-emergency support for vulnerable individuals or by making donations to one of Edmonton’s homeless-serving agencies.
Overnight shelter space at Commonwealth will be made available as long as it is needed. There will be three days notice before the space is deactivated. Individuals seeking shelter are encouraged to seek shelter at existing facilities first. For a listing of Edmonton’s shelters and drop-in locations, visit
wer-yeg.ca.
