Skip to content

New Westminster's Salvation Army emergency weather shelter busy in cold snap

While New Westminster residents have been bemoaning the driving conditions, transit delays and snow that needs to be shoveled, volunteers at the Salvation Army's emergency weather shelter have been working to offer the city's needy some shelter from

While New Westminster residents have been bemoaning the driving conditions, transit delays and snow that needs to be shoveled, volunteers at the Salvation Army's emergency weather shelter have been working to offer the city's needy some shelter from the storm.

"We've been open since last Wednesday. It's been quite cold," said Capt. Dave Macpherson. "We had between 15 and 20 people last night. That's about average for what we normally get. Earlier in the season, it was maybe 12 to 15 so it is a little more than it was in November and December when there was rain, but not cold."

The shelter opens any time the temperature drops below -2 C. Anyone who comes in gets a padded mat to sleep on with a pillow and blanket, a hot meal, a light breakfast and a voucher for lunch at a local restaurant. The Salvation Army works in partnership with the Lower Mainland Purpose Society.

Beyond the meals and safe place to sleep, Macpherson and volunteers try to keep clients warm after the shelter closes at 7 a.m. by sending them off with dry clothes and socks.

"We call it the New Westminster sock exchange," he said.

Macpherson said the colder the weather gets, the more appreciative the drop-ins seem to be and the more generous local residents are when it comes to dropping off badly needed donations.

"We haven't seen temperatures like we had last night, I don't think, since I've been here in nine years," he said. "We're just praying that it warms up and stays dry. We're always pretty thankful for what the city of New West gives us. The people that live here are just amazing. People come in every day with things to help out, donations of clothing."

Donations can be dropped off at the church's 325 Sixth St. location at the family services office behind the building.

www.twitter.com/BrentRichter