New downtown location for Sudbury drop-in centre for people experiencing homelessness

While people experiencing homelessness in Sudbury will no longer be able to drop by the downtown arena during the day, a new location for the service is being set up elsewhere in the city.

The arena was repurposed back in March when the pandemic first took hold, to accommodate people needing a place to go to rest or use washroom facilities during the day.

Now that the arena is resuming operations, people needing a place to go are being directed to 19 Frood Rd., which currently houses a Francophone health centre.

Gail Spencer, the co-ordinator of shelters and homelessness programs for Sudbury says up to 50 people can be accommodated at the new drop-in centre.

"We expect it will be able to manage the capacity that we normally saw use the Sudbury arena," she said.

Spencer said the city is providing a drop-in space because other agencies offering similar services had to close their doors to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The new site will include "client navigators."

"They are trained and educated to support people to be able to navigate the system of health care, social services and housing supports that those using the service may need," she said.

The Frood Road location is expected to be open until May 31, 2021.