London’s Winter Response Program for the homeless suffered another setback.
The city was forced to drop a stabilization space that was to be provided by the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“We had planned to use the Hamilton Road location that ACSM previously operated as a café,” said Kevin Dickins, deputy city manager of social and health development for the City of London on Wednesday.
“It hasn’t been operational since about March 2020, and ACSM had hoped that this would be the space that might be suitable for this use,” he said.
Ten beds had been promised for people experiencing mental health and substance abuse crises. City staff told council last night that stabilization space would not be available, at least in the short term.
Dickins said the city is unlikely to be able to find another suitable location in time for the program to start on December 1.
He said people in need of mental health supports will continue to be referred to the existing CMHA crisis center on Queen’s Ave.
“If things come to fruition and we can get back to the board, we will,” Dickins said, “but I’m not sure that will happen. ”
Dickins said some work had gone into preparing the space, which he now says ACSM can take advantage of for its own use.
“CMHA is now in a position to operationalize its programming at the Hamilton Road space by the end of the month,” he explained.
This is the second success of the Winter Response program in recent days. The River Road Golf Course was chosen as the site for an aboriginal-run shelter, but an alleged arson forced the town to seek another location.
“Travel aficionado. Twitter scholar. Writer. Extreme coffee guru. Evil pop culture fanatic.”