By Corey Fischer

March Opening For New Vernon Shelter Delayed

Feb 23, 2018 | 7:55 AM

The modular shelter planned for Vernon’s Howard House site on 43rd Street looks like it could open by June.

That a bit later than originally planned for the 45 bed facility.

Kelly Fehr from John Howard Society, which will operate it, says their partners are working on the plan.

“The city is being very supportive. The province is very supportive, so it’s just a matter of getting it altogether and ordering all the beds and supplies. We’re really eager to see a roll out.”

Fehr says the units are all pre-fabricated, so adding them to the site will go quickly.

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“Once that’s built, we’re going to work on phasing out the existing men’s shelter located in the Howard House which serves 24 people. So those 24 people will move into the new shelter and there will be an additional 20 spaces at that shelter also.”

The new shelter is part of 11 million dollars announced by BC Housing last November.

The funding will also be used for a 53-modular-unit supportive housing complex on 27th Avenue, scheduled to open in November.

by Corey Fischer