Emergency shelter opens
A recent cold snap led to Powell River Salvation Army opening its extreme weather shelter on February 19, when the overnight low dropped to -5 degrees Celsius and Tuesday, February 20, when the temperature dropped to -6 degrees.
Staff uses -2 degrees Celsius as the baseline for opening the shelter, which was established last year and operates between October and March during severe weather events. Doors open from 8 pm-8 am, providing people in need of shelter from snow, cold and rain with food and warmth.
Salvation Army is assisted by various community organizations, including BC Ambulance Service, which provides blankets and sleeping mats from School District 47.
Council assesses wastewater location
City of Powell River held a special committee of the whole meeting on February 20 for an information gathering session with city staff and a site visit to the new wastewater treatment plant location. Mayor and city councillors, excluding Jim Palm, convened at the corner of Hemlock Street and Larch Avenue in Townsite, where they were able to look over the land where the proposed $30-million project will consolidate sewage from Tla’amin Nation, Wildwood, Townsite and Westview.
Three members of Townsite Ratepayers Association, which at times staged appeals at council meetings to stop development on the site, also attended. City staff marked the footprint for the facility and used helium balloons to indicate its height.
