Dear Mayor DeBoon,
Thank you for meeting with me today. I am pleased that we were able to agree on some accommodations for our homeless folks who are temporarily housed in tents adjacent to the former Ambulance Building.
The tenters currently have access to two outdoor outlets for power that are now live. You offered to upgrade the power on both outlets so heaters and other small appliances can be plugged in without fear of tripping the breaker. You also offered to make the outdoor faucet functional as a water source. Thank you. Thanks also to your Infrastructure Manager for his assistance with these matters. As well, you are investigating the possibility of providing garbage pick-up along the alleyway and will let me know the outcome.
You made a request that we allow the campsite to be moved to the back of the former Ambulance building so that the parking lot close to the Firehall storage shed would be unobstructed. Both the Den Society and our unhoused folks are amenable to that move, provided we collaborate on the date, time and weather conditions and that we get plenty of help to make the move. It was quite a lengthy and arduous task for our group of volunteers and unhoused friends to organize and set up the camp on Sunday. We made sure the campsite had a foundation, was well secured against wind, rain and snow and had room for at least four of our new tents. We also need to have our outdoor kitchen better secured and sheltered.
During our talk, we also discussed the possibility of giving the Creston Valley Den Society access to the small back section of the former Ambulance Building. We could use this indoor space in whatever way the Town and Council feels is appropriate. Having access to hot water, storage, a flush toilet and some indoor warmth would assist our unhoused community immensely. Our team of volunteers would clean, manage and supervise the area. As mentioned in our last correspondence, the Den Society will be renting the Trinity Hall for two hours each afternoon as the weather gets colder, where we will provide a hot lunch and support. Perhaps the back of the Ambulance building could serve this purpose during other parts of the day. We welcome the opportunity to discuss this option with you.
Finally, I wondered aloud whether any of your staff would have additional ideas for support and assistance. Do our firefighters or police have ideas about winter camping and safe shelters? Is there any equipment or clothing that could be donated? We know there are many within our town organizations and council who have compassion for the plight of the unhoused and we are hoping that we can keep a line of communication open for sharing and support. Thank you for the opportunity.
Sincerely,
Nancy DeVuono
Board Chairperson
Creston Valley Den Society