Warming centre to reopen in Pembroke, Ont. this winter

A warming centre for the homeless and those seeking shelter in Pembroke and Renfrew County will reopen this winter.

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The warming centre is expected to open Dec. 1 in Pembroke at 156 John St., in the rear of the Ontario Addictions Treatment Centre (OATC) clinic location.

This year, the warming centre will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for a five-month period according to the County of Renfrew.

"To see it grow into an actual bricks and mortar; we did try the trailer, but at least now that is going to be in a place where they have a bit more space and they're going to be connecting with other agencies," said Jerry Novack, executive director at The Grind, a community kitchen in Pembroke.

"I think that's a great win for the community."

The Grind was the first to open a warming centre in the city, first hosting those in need overnight in its cafe in 2022.

Last winter, The Grind launched a warming centre at the Pembroke Farmers Market site, which consisted of a converted construction trailer furnished with 25 recliner chairs.

"It's just not bringing somebody in and getting them warm, but also trying to meet their needs," said Novack.

"I think that's going to be really important as we go through these cold winter months."

This winter, the County of Renfrew is taking the lead on operations and says the site will be staffed with addictions and mental health personnel from Mackay Manor in Renfrew.

"It's not a shelter, to be clear," said Renfrew County chief administrative officer Craig Kelley.

"It's still a warming center, with more offerings in terms of supports, right. We're bringing crisis workers in as opposed to just security guards working the door."

The new warming centre will cost approximately $240,000 to operate for the five-month period.

The county is helping fund the centre through the Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP), while the City of Pembroke is contributing $110,000 and the Town of Petawawa and Township of Laurentian Valley are contributing $20,000 each.

At the OATC site, the county says this new warming centre will offer "integrated washroom facilities, along with amenities such as a kitchenette, cleaning facilities, storage facilities and program space within the warming centre's footprint of approximately 232 square metres."

Last winter, The Grind's warming centre saw eight to ten people spend the night each day. The county says it is tough to estimate attendance at this time.

Novack says The Grind served 62 people last week, with that number expected to grow as the temperature outside drops.

While the previous two warming centres have been temporary, Kelley says there is a chance this new arrangement with the OATC could create a new permanent fixture in the community.

"I think it's a long-term solution that this will create in a permanent building. We have a lease arrangement that this could be more permanent," Kelley said.