By Joe Mancini
Published June 2023
It was an exciting day on Thursday April 27th when the first group started moving in to the Erbs Road Shelter. One of the first to arrive was a couple who had been living at the Main Street encampment in Cambridge. A volunteer had made arrangements to drive them first thing in the morning. They quickly settled in, thankful for a safe and warm place where they could lock their door.
Over the first month, people living in tents throughout Waterloo Region were offered cabins. However, it was clear that there were not enough cabins for all those tenting or in precarious situations. For those who chose to move in, the site offered many advantages.
The Erbs Road Shelter was built by The Region of Waterloo on regionally owned land at 1003 Erbs Road. The idea of building an outdoor shelter started in the summer of 2022. The Region contracted with Now Housing in late December to start production of the cabins made out of shipping containers. The Working Centre only came on site when the occupancy permit was granted in the last week of April 2023. The 50 cabins offer private, safe, secure and inclusive accommodation. Each 107 square foot cabin is furnished and equipped with electricity, heating, cooling and wifi. A main community centre provides running water, washrooms, showers, laundry, a food servery, a shared television, common space, small rooms for private meetings and health care access.
The shuttle service, using a van donated by Scherer Chevrolet Dealership, has been a helpful service for getting to medical, justice or other kinds of appointments. It is easy to understand these are impossible to coordinate when a person is unhoused or camping.
In the weeks before the opening there was constant interest in this new project with visits by Regional and provincial politicians along with neighbours and tours for the general public. While these tours were going on, Now Housing was working quickly to complete the Community Centre so that the shelter could start accepting residents.
After a month of operation, it has been refreshing to see how people have appreciated that the site, quite far away from the downtown, offers a degree of independence, wide open air and lots of open space. People have started to adjust, seeing the shelter as a way to settle, make new friendships and contribute to the space.
The Erbs Road Shelter is part of the formal shelter system, and the site is not for permanent housing but to assist people towards finding long term housing in the wider community. In the first weeks we have had visits from the Humane Society, Woman and Crisis supports, Legal Outreach, Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre, Ontario Works, and Lutherwood.
It is stunning that such a community can be built so quickly. As the community develops and trust is built, new pieces are being added like some grass, picnic tables, garden beds, and a gazebo. Those living on site want to make the place feel like a home and there is lots of work to help make that happen. A BBQ hosted by Creekside Church was a nice way of helping that along. The Erbs Road Shelter is a solid step forward for those struggling to regain their housing and community supports.
