A new project is hoping to make things a little easier for anyone living rough in Northumberland to making it through the winter.
The Northumberland Sleeping Cabin Collective is a citizen-led response to homelessness in the area that aims to create small cabins that will give people without a place to stay somewhere safe to live over the winter.
An example of what the cabins will look like is making the rounds across Cobourg and Port Hope, giving people a better idea of what to expect should they get a permanent location in the area.
Jenni Frenke, a volunteer with the Northumberland Sleeping Cabin Collective was on hand at one of demonstrations on November 3 outside Northumberland YMCA to explain the collective and their goals.
She said the cabins will be an eight-foot by ten-foot unit, insulated and heated, with enough power to have a minifridge and other devices inside.
Frenke said the plan is to have a village of these cabins.
She said there will be shared washrooms, showers and kitchen facilities on site at the villages, and the residents will work together to make sure everyone gets along with no issues.
Frenke added that they’re consulting and working with unhoused people to ensure the project works for everyone involved.
Frenke said they’ve had an overwhelming amount of support from all parties involved, from unhoused people to volunteers to politicians.
As for the location of the village, Frenke said that’s the big hurdle at the moment.
According to Frenke, they’ve been trying to find private landowners to provide a location for the village, but so far they’ve been unsuccessful.
She said there is a meeting scheduled with Cobourg’s planning department and they’re optimistic that a location can be found.
They’ve been having better luck in Port Hope, however, and Frenke said they have a few prospective locations.
If you’re interested in seeing what the cabins look like, there are demonstrations happening from now through to December:
- Nov 9, 6pm-7pm: before Community 101 at Trinity United Church, at Chapel and Division St, Cobourg.
- Nov 16, 5-6pm: St. John’s Anglican Church, Pine St, Port Hope.
- Nov 20, 11:30-12:30pm: St. Andrew’s Church, King St, Cobourg.
- Nov 26, 1pm: Port Hope Santa Parade
- Post parade: in front of Town hall in Port Hope
- Dec 3, 6pm: Cobourg Santa Parade
- Post parade St Andrews Church on King St E in Cobourg
Given the proximity to many of the major support networks like food banks, Frenke said the main goal is to get villages set up in Cobourg and Port Hope for this winter. However, she said that if they’re successful it’s possible the project could expand to other communities around Northumberland.
Written by Lee McConnell
