As we continue to prepare to lose the Day Centre in a few short weeks, let's look back at its history. The story begins about 60 years ago when Wesley United Church, then a thriving congregation on the corner of Rebecca and John, saw the need for service of the homeless and others in deep poverty and began the outreach that would in time become Wesley Urban Ministries.
See full details here at Wesley's site.
The Day Centre opened its doors about 24 years ago, in 1996 and 20 years ago added to their housing services and other outreach arms an incredible 24 hour a day, 7 day a week unconditional shelter for people who needed a place to sleep, regardless of why.
Sadly, over the years, support for the Wesley Day Centre gradually dwindled and they were forced to cut back on services and hours again and again until they were down to being a 'Day Centre', open first during the days then mostly mornings, but still offering a significant suite of essential services for the homeless and those in dire need.
Fast forward to early 2018 when it was decided that the time had come to address the opioid crisis by incorporating an overdose prevention site (now renamed by the Conservative government as CTS, consumption treatment site) within its offering.
Sadly the by then estranged other branch of Wesley, Wesley Community Homes, was horrified at the idea, and informed the Day Centre that it as the landlord would not be renewing the lease of the Day Centre in April 2020.
For over a year the Day Centre struggled in extensive correspondence with city staff to get support to continue its mandate. By June 2019, the ED, Daljit Garry, felt that all that could be done had been done, and announced that the Wesley would be closing its doors.
This is where I came in. (To be continued...)
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