Hamilton councillors question $100K cost of Bennetto warming site

At Hamilton City Hall today, councillors questioned a new report that shows it cost the city nearly $100,000 to convert Bennetto Community Centre into an emergency warming site for nine days this winter.

The site was supposed to help the community during January’s major snowstorm, but quickly became an emergency homeless shelter – leaving councillors questioning why a plan wasn’t already in place.

What was supposed to be a temporary solution to Hamilton’s extreme temperatures this winter spiraled into something much bigger.

A report released this week shows turning the Bennetto Community Centre into an emergency warming site for nine days between Jan. 24 and Feb. 2 cost the city nearly $100,000.

“It was really open to the whole community. It wasn’t necessarily targeting folks that were experiencing homelessness. What happened, though, is that it was a prolonged cold event. And the people primarily that came to the site were individuals experiencing homelessness,” said Michelle Baird, director of housing services Hamilton.

Today, Hamilton city councillors had the chance to ask how the budget climbed that high.

“People stayed there for longer periods of time. And there are no other locations for people to go to. And the substance use was significant, leading to challenging behaviours, conflict between folks at the site,” said Baird.

The city needed extra support from police and security, adding more than $30,000 to the overall cost.

Bennetto ultimately assisted 90 unhoused individuals overnight, and more than 30 during daytime hours.

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“A big concern I have here is that we scrambled sort of at the last minute to make something happen in an emergency, and there were impacts in the neighbourhood for people. And that maybe the recreation centre that was there wasn’t the best choice,” said Cameron Kroetsch, Hamilton Ward 2 councillor.

Recreation programming was suspended to accommodate the emergency site. And Bennetto remained closed to the public for an additional few days after the shelter closed to allow for cleaning and inspections.

Some neighbours in the area say they needed to find alternatives after their children’s activities at the recreation centre were cancelled, and others say the unexpected transition of space was disruptive.

“Police come here, I’m gonna tell you, three or four times every night, the fire trucks would come every night, the ambulances — three or four times a night. The noise, you just couldn’t sleep. It was horrible,” said a local resident.

The report also notes the warming centre didn’t incorporate the same rules seen in other emergency sites, leading staff to deal with a range of operational challenges, including substance use.

“We’ve seen overdoses skyrocket, paramedic calls skyrocket ever since the province created the conditions where there aren’t places for people to go. And without places to go, the city has to find something for people to help them survive in the winter conditions, up to – 30 C in the windchill,” said Coun. Kroetsch.

City officials say they’re looking to community partners to see what other facilities might be available if another emergency happens, but there are no other plans in the works right now to use Bennetto again.

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