Two temporary extreme weather shelters opened last Friday to accommodate homeless people in Richmond. The shelters opened just ahead of a weekend wrought with wet snow and temperatures hovering around the freezing mark.
A men's-only shelter opened at Richmond House at 3111 Shell Rd. and a 16-bed shelter at St. Alban's Church opened at 7250 St. Albans Rd.
The city was blanketed with about 10-15 centimetres of wet snow from Saturday to Monday. According to church staff, the beds are typically fully occupied when the shelter opens. The openings are funded through BC Housing.
Openings are determined by weather conditions, for instance when the wind chill reaches freezing point or there is any snow accumulation.
The City of Richmond assists the community with keeping the shelter plan updated and issuing notifications.
Interested shelter volunteers can call 604-315-5705 or email [email protected].
