Last week the snow and cold weather came as a surprise to the Kelowna Gospel Mission and the homeless members of the community they serve.

‘When I woke up to snow that morning I was so disheartened,” says Carmen Rempel, executive director at the Kelowna Gospel Mission

“We had been working full-tilt, around the clock, trying to come up with an emergency winter sheltering plan for this winter and the fact that the snow hit the ground before we got it up off the ground was pretty devastating for our team.”

In late September, a new designated outdoor camping space for the homeless was announced, moving from the ball diamonds on Recreation Avenue to a vacant industrial lot along the rail trail on Baillie Avenue. 

The new location, however, has been used little with the majority of Kelowna's homeless opting to shelter in the downtown core on colder nights. 

“I think that our community of people who are sheltering outside have already voted with their feet. Last night there were four tents there, so people are simply finding other nooks-and-crannies, different places in the city to be, they’re simply not utilizing it.”

On Saturday morning a large new homeless camp at Pandosy and Leon was broken up by police, something that doesn't surprise Rempel.

“There are different, sort of, user complaints about that site. One is the distance, the other has to do with the discomfort of the gravel that was put up there and mostly a feeling of being on display - that they don’t like.”

In typical years those living on the streets were welcomed indoors when winter arrives.

"The thing is our shelter is full. Another shelter down the street, is full, and so with COVID spacing restrictions it’s not even like we can throw mats on the floor and shove people in every corner that we can possibly fill up like past years.”

She says the Mission's storage container full of mats and blankets, unable to be utilized for the lack of space and COVID restrictions, is just "burning a hole" in her conscious.

“Unfortunately people are having to be turned away at the door. Our outreach team is giving out tents, they’re giving out sleeping bags, gloves, warm things to try to keep people warm but it’s cold out there.”

Rempel says the Mission needs gloves, socks, pyjama bottoms and long-johns. Donations can be dropped off at the back of the Leon shelter.