Hamilton funds overnight warming centre The Hub until March 31, 2023

The City of Hamilton is providing funding for downtown warming space The Hubin order to increase itsoperating hours until March 31, 2023.

Effective immediately, the city has contracted The Hubon Vine Street to include drop-in services from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. every nightin addition to the centre'sregular operating hours of 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. until March 31.

This expansion in services is in response tocommunity outcry during acold weather spell over Christmas weekend. "This much needed support to our friends with no homes would not have been possible without all of you," said Jennifer Bonner, executive director of The Hub. "We are forever grateful for your advocacy and true community engagement."

Bonner said the city has also agree to retroactively cover costs since Dec. 24 the day the city cancelled its cold alert and community donations came forward to cover costs that night in order for the drop-in centre to stay open and provide respite to those in need.

On Tuesday, the city announced an extension of The Hub hours until Jan. 2. By Wednesday, it announced the extension until the end of March.

CBC Hamilton spoke with someone namedRobbie J. earlierthis week, who said he had gone to The Hub Tuesday night to warm up.

"It should be open all week, there's a need. There are fine people here but they need a bigger facility, they limit it to 20 to 25 people here at a time," he said.

He said hefeels that the city is "focused on becoming an entertainment city" but leaves people like him behind.

Last week when Environment Canada warned that Hamilton and Niagara was going to be hit by a "significant winter storm." The city had issued a cold alert on Dec. 23, but on Saturday cancelled the alert because temperatures were shy of the cold alert requirements, it said.

Mayor Andrea Horwath and several city councillors responded to the service gap on Monday and expedited the use of the one-time funding of $125K for warming spaces that was approved in early December.

"Hamiltonians have my commitment that the City continues to work diligently towards next steps and solutions to protect the most vulnerable in our community," saidHorwath in a statementannouncing the extended hours.

"Thank you to the Council members who reached out, and thank you to staff for putting together these interim measures."

The Hub's new hours are set to compliment the ongoing services and drop-in programs:

• YWCA Carol Anne's Place: overnight drop-in from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. for women and non-binary individuals.
• Mission Services Willow's Place: open daily from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. for women.
• Wesley Day Centre: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Living Rock Youth Resources: Daily drop-in from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for youth.

And while Environment Canada is calling for mild temperatures this weekend,Central Memorial Recreation Centre is also open extended hours onDec. 31, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, until 10 p.m.

Bonner previously said multiple changes were needed to meet the needs of the houseless population in the city. "[First]and foremostwe want to say that housing is [the] real solution," she said.

She also said there were concerns over the cold alert threshold,shelter bed availability and restrictions, limited options for those outside the downtown core and a lack of "safe use" spaces in shelters.