Duncan council has rejected a proposal to use McAdam Park field house as a warming station this winter.
The decision was made at council’s regular meeting on Monday night.
“I don’t really see that putting this warming station in is going to help with the situation that is down there right now,” said councillor Tom Duncan who voted against the proposal.
“All I’ve seen is opposition from the neighbourhood.”
The idea met with anger from many in the community, in particular, parents with children at adjacent Cowichan Preschool, who suggested it be set up in a more suitable location.
They made that opposition loud and clear at a community meeting at the Preschool earlier this month.
The Cowichan Coalition to Address Homelessness and Affordable Housing says their latest “point in time” count found almost 90 people living outside a shelter in the Cowichan Valley.
The hope was the proposal would provide those people with, at minimum, a place to warm up in the winter.
“I don’t think we should just give up,” said councillor Michelle Bell, who also voted against the proposal.
“But I don’t think this is the answer.”
Ben O'Hara
