Homeless in, staff out at Dartmouth’s DoubleTree resort
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Dartmouth’s DoubleTree hotel already properties about 100 homeless folks but appears established to be converted to a comprehensive-time shelter future thirty day period.
The Nova Scotia governing administration is operating on a lease settlement with the building owner, in accordance to a lodge worker and a further human being near to the predicament. The two agreed to talk if they have been not recognized.
SaltWire spoke with two resort workers who mentioned they would be dropping their work at the stop of the thirty day period. There are about 100 personnel employed at the hotel close to the waterfront, together with kitchen, routine maintenance and housekeeping, they say. Practically anyone would be laid off. It is unclear what duties they will have.
The two said they ended up told previously that the current arrangement in between the lodge and the province would close at the conclude of March and that men and women would be housed somewhere else. Three floors were occupied by homeless people.
That changed two weeks back, they claimed, when team were being told the hotel would turn out to be a lasting shelter. They felt blindsided.
‘Exploring all options’
The Section of Neighborhood Products and services oversees the province’s shelter diversion program. The program funds unexpected emergency resort stays for the homeless throughout the province, together with the 90-100 men and women remaining at the DoubleTree.
SaltWire asked about what is happening at the lodge, but the office would not remedy straight. A division spokesperson reported there’s no strategy to conclusion crisis resort stays or supports for people today suffering from homelessness.
“We are at present discovering all choices and hope to have information and facts on new initiatives to share shortly,” Christina Deveau claimed.
Dark Side Comedy Club was also blindsided by the news. The group has been internet hosting weekly comedy shows at the hotel for almost two many years. It will now have to come across a new house.
Dark Side’s Josh Poulain explained a supervisor at the lodge instructed him about two months ago. The club will perform its previous show at the lodge on April 15.
“They permit us know that the lodge is turning into a full-time homeless shelter by the conclude of April and they desired us out by the middle of the thirty day period,” he mentioned.
Poulain issues the logic powering laying off hotel staff to make way for a shelter.
“It appears to be counterproductive to develop a quick-phrase homeless shelter when building cash flow insecurity for 100 other individuals.”
“The concern we have is mostly for the individuals remaining laid off (and) the persons who are encountering homelessness.”
Continue to, it indicates a transfer for the clearly show.
The province also pays 902 Man Up to give security at the lodge. Sources say that the contract will expire at the finish of the thirty day period. We experimented with unsuccessfully to attain the group.
Welcome Housing is one particular of the companies that deliver support to people residing at the hotel. The group is also funded by the province. We asked Welcome Housing about plans for the resort, but they only issued this statement.
“We are consistently performing with and chatting to all ranges of govt about what is necessary to finish homelessness in our metropolis and province, and we are generally open up to new thoughts and even non permanent methods to carry our unhoused neighbours out of the things into emergency shelter alternatives.”
Afraid for the potential
A girl dwelling at the hotel contacted SaltWire early previous 7 days expressing men and women residing there are afraid about what will take place to them. She stated rumours have been spreading that they may be pressured out on the streets by month’s finish.
“I do not know if that is legitimate, but no just one is currently being advised just about anything and we are all stressed to the max,” claimed the lady.
Lodge people gained a joint letter from Adsum Dwelling and Welcome Housing the exact same week urging them to stay tranquil and featuring to aid.
“We want to guarantee you that Adsum and Welcome Housing are committed to supporting and supplying you with secure shelter,” said the letter.
“We fully grasp that there have been media reviews regarding rumoured improvements at the lodge. We are often performing with stages of authorities on ways to better provide people affected by the housing crisis, and with federal government, hope to share aspects about the upcoming designs for the DoubleTree before long.”
SaltWire contacted the hotel, but no more details was delivered. We were being explained to to converse with supervisor William Ambler. We manufactured various makes an attempt to attain him with no success.
The setting up is owned by Manga Hotels (Dartmouth) Inc.

