Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart says the city of Coquitlam supports the establishment of a temporary shelter rotating through three churches in the city.
In a statement to the Tri-City News, Stewart said the city has been pushing for the establishment of the rotating shelters since a temporary use permit for a Port Coquitlam church to host a winter shelter was denied.
Stewart said two Coquitlam churches have temporary use permits from the city to run temporary, month-long shelters (Coquitlam Alliance and Calvary Baptist) and a third church, Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship, has submitted a request for an extension to their expired temporary use permit, which the city also supports.
"The Cold-Wet Weather Mat Program was extremely successful, and I believe it will be successful again this winter. And of course, we look forward to the opening of our permanent shelter, on City of Coquitlam land at 3030 Gordon, in early 2015," Stewart said in the statement.
Meanwhile, Hope for Freedom managing director Rob Thiessen has said the first shelter could be up and running at Calvary Baptist by Nov. 1.
