New Windsor warming bus an overnight hit
A mobile warming centre that hit Windsor's streets last week has already helped dozens of homeless people escape the cold.
In its first two nights on Friday and Saturday, the winter warming bus had 51 unique riders, city council learned on Monday.
“The response has been very positive,” Andrew Daher, the city's commissioner of human and health services, told council.
The pilot project, which relies on federal funding, will run the streets of Windsor Monday through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. excluding holidays, until mid-spring.
The bus's route begins at the Housing and Homelessness Help Hub at the former Windsor Water World. It makes stops outside the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families, the Downtown Mission, and the Salvation Army.
It also stops at several “predetermined spots” where homeless people typically are, Daher said. The city identified those locations using data from police and 311.
Daher told council he rode the warming bus on Saturday and received positive feedback.
“The individuals who were on that bus, they were very appreciative, very thankful. It's been a very overwhelming response in the community,” he said.
“I think it's just another great initiative. I give credit to my team for all the work that they 're doing, and trying to find different ways of addressing the issues that we're facing around homelessness.”
Including the driver, three individuals work on the bus to support those experiencing homelessness.
Downtown councillor Renaldo Agostino said business owners in the city's core are also “very appreciative” of the initiative.
The pilot project runs until April 30 and relies on some of the $1.1 million in one-time funding Windsor received from Ottawa's Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy.
Daher said the city is not planning to extend the pilot unless the city receives additional funding. tcampbell@postmedia.com twitter.com/wstarcampbell