The overflow shelter on Exmouth Street in Sarnia will be in operation until at least the spring.
Lambton's GM of Social Services Melissa Fitzpatrick, in response to a inquiry about when the site might close by City/County Councillor Chrissy McRoberts, said the 35-bed overflow shelter will be maintained through the winter.
"We haven't identified an exact closure date yet," said Fitzpatrick. "But it is reasonable to expect that through the winter months it will continue, and we would hope that come springtime we'll be in a position to look at perhaps winding it down."
However, she said they do expect less foot traffic at the former Laurel-Lea St. Matthew's Presbyterian Church in the coming months. Right now, the resource centre sees about 190 people a month.
"Part of the issue with the volume in and out of that building for the neighbourhood is the co-location of our housing homeless resource centre," said Fitzpatrick. "So that runs during the day and then the shelter at night. And the housing homeless resource centre will close with the opening of the HART hub, which is expected late this fall."
Fitzpatrick said when the hub opens and resource centre moves, hours at the shelter will move to 6 p.m. to 11 a.m. daily.
Homeowners and businesses in the area of the shelter have complained about open drug use, public defecation, violence, littering, and other criminal activities.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley told Lambton County Council Wednesday he would like to see a date set for the shelter's closure.
"It was supposed to be a one year shelter, temporary shelter, overflow and it's turned into something much more," said Bradley. "And I'd like to see an end date. And if it doesn't get met, or changes or gets advanced that's fine, but we need to give that neighbourhood some understanding that this is going to come to an end at some point next year."
Fitzpatrick told county councillors that currently the shelter is operating at between 80 and 90 per cent capacity.
According to the County of Lambton's website, there are over 300 people on the by-name list of homelessness.
