Clients of the Inuvik Warming Shelter will soon have a new building to escape the deadly winter cold.

NWT Housing Corporation president Eleanor Young told Inuvik Drum a group home owned by NWT Health and Social Services has been donated for a new shelter.

Young said the new building, located at 26 Reliance St. was undergoing inspection and was hopeful it could be ready for service as soon as next week. The facility has seven bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, living room and office and is large enough that clients will be able to properly socially distance.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a matter of timing the inspections and if thereSA国际影视传媒檚 anything that comes out of the inspections they recommend, then we obvious have to get that done before we move people in,SA国际影视传媒� said Young. SA国际影视传媒淥ur goal is to make that happen as quickly as possible so we can make sure folks get in there.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 very grateful that, through some cooperation at the regional level with HSS that weSA国际影视传媒檝e been able to find a solution very quickly. I know it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 always happen that way, so weSA国际影视传媒檙e very lucky that weSA国际影视传媒檝e got something we can put together that will get us through the winter and perhaps longer. But at least through the winter, and weSA国际影视传媒檒l go from there.SA国际影视传媒�

Close quarters at the old shelter on Berger St. was one of the main factors in the original decision to move the shelter to the MACA building on VeteranSA国际影视传媒檚 Way that burned down last week. The new building will also solve the Warming ShelterSA国际影视传媒檚 kitchen problems. Currently, meals are being prepared at the Inuvik Homeless Shelter and delivered to the Berger St. building because its kitchen doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 meet Covid-19 requirements. Young said the building also has plumbing issues.

Already faced with extremely difficult circumstances, InuvikSA国际影视传媒檚 homeless people were put in even further dire circumstances when an electrical fire Nov. 26 forced evacuation of the Warming Shelter on VeteranSA国际影视传媒檚 Way. Young said the damage from that first fire was enough that standard safety protocols required the building to be inspected before it could be put back into use. Those inspections had not even begun when a second fire erupted the following day, burning the structure to the ground.

Young said some furniture, food and other minor assets were lost in the blaze, but NWTHC staff were able to recover most of peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 belongings before the second fire.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey went in the Saturday morning and tried to get the most critical stuff out of there,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淔rom what I understand, the most important things like peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 personal effects and stuff like that, we did manage to get out.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 just so happy that folks are safe and they got out of the building safely and we were able to look after them.SA国际影视传媒�