Brutally cold temperatures continue in Prince Albert. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

YWCA and PAGC work in tandem to ease shelter strain

Feb 9, 2021 | 1:05 PM

The supervisor of the YWCA’s Stepping Stones Cold Weather Shelter welcomes the addition of a new emergency shelter at Parkland Hall.

Tonya Kleinert told paNOW demand at the 20-bed facility she oversees has picked up during the latest blast of dangerously cold weather. Stepping Stones was already at capacity every night. Now alternative places to stay have to be found for an average of four to six people per night, she said. Often that’s at another of the YWCA’s shelters, P.A. Mobile Crisis, or detox.

“It’s a struggle sometimes, with all the cold weather everyone seems to be full,” Kleinart said.

On Monday, Prince Albert Grand Council members announced the opening of a temporary emergency shelter at their Parkland Hall site. The plan is to operate the overflow facility for the next two weeks as needed.

“It just takes that pressure off trying to find places for people to stay at night,” Kleinert said of the new shelter. “We know that people aren’t going to be cold outside.”

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Brutally cold weather continues in Prince Albert. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

She added it might even be more convenient for people on the west side of the city to stay at Parkland Hall, rather than making the trip over to Stepping Stones in the East Flat, just to find out they’re full.

Prince Albert Grand Council continues to work closely with the YWCA since the inception of the city’s very first cold weather shelter. Kleinert thanked PAGC for stepping up once again to fill a need.

“We are in close contact with PAGC,” she said. “So we can just give them a call, let them know we have a few people and send them down there, we have transportation we can provide. It’s going to be great.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom